Shot Left Playing career Role Ice hockey player Weight 95 kg Career end 2003 | National team Sweden Name Leif Rohlin Height 1.85 m Career start 1988 Position Defenseman | |
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Born February 26, 1968 (age 56)
Vasteras, Sweden ( 1968-02-26 ) NHL Draft 33rd overall, 1988
Vancouver Canucks Played for Vancouver Canucks, VIK Vasteras HK, HC Ambri-Piotta, Djurgardens IF Hockey | ||
Leif Johan Rohlin (born February 26, 1968 in Vasteras, Sweden) is a former professional ice hockey defenceman who spent 2 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks and enjoyed a long career in Europe. He is currently the General Manager of VIK Vasteras HK of the second level of Swedish ice hockey, HockeyAllsvenskan.
Rohlin was selected 33rd overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, following a strong performance at the 1988 World Junior Championships. While considered a strong NHL prospect, he continued to ply his trade in Sweden with his hometown club, Vasteras IK.
Rohlin's game would continue to evolve in Sweden, although he proved difficult for the Canucks to sign. By the mid-1990s, he had earned the tag of 'best defender outside the NHL'. Strong performances at the 1994 Winter Olympics and 1995 World Championships, along with a monster 1994–95 season in the Swedish Elite League in which he scored 15 goals and 30 points in just 39 games, helped cement this status. He was finally signed by the Canucks in the summer of 1995 at the age of 27.
Rohlin entered the NHL with substantial expectations and, while he wasn't an outright flop, his performance did prove disappointing. His offensive game didn't translate to the NHL as well as had been hoped, and he lacked the grit needed to succeed in the more physical North American game. However, his solid puckmoving skills and positional smarts made him a useful depth defender. In 1995–96, he recorded 6 goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 56 games for the Canucks. Following the season, he was selected to represent Sweden in the 1996 World Cup, although he would appear in just 1 game in the tournament. In 1996–97 he would appear in just 40 games, recording 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points. Rohlin and the Canucks would part ways following the season, and he chose to return to Europe.
Rather than go back to Sweden, Rohlin instead signed with HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss Nationalliga A. He would quickly establish himself as one of the top defenders in Switzerland, and helped Ambri-Piotta to two Continental Cups. He would also represent Sweden again at the 2001 World Championships. He would spend 4 seasons in Switzerland before returning to Sweden in 2001 to sign with Djurgardens IF. After a year at Djurgarden, Rohlin would sign at Sodertalje SK for the 2002–03 season before retiring.
In 96 NHL games, Rohlin recorded 8 goals and 24 assists for 32 points, along with 40 penalty minutes. Altogether, he would record 270 points in 602 games over 15 seasons of top-level hockey between Europe and North America.