Anders Hedberg joined fellow countryman Ulf Nilsson in eschewing interest from the rival NHL to sign with the Winnipeg Jets in May 1974. Playing right wing for the first time in order to play with Nilsson and Bobby Hull, the trio gelled almost immediately and the Hot Line, as it came to be known, became one of the best lines in hockey history.
Hedberg tallied at least 50 goals and 100 points in each of his four seasons with the Jets and his best individual season came in 1976-1977, when he tallied 51 goals in 47 games before being shelved with a knee injury. He recovered and went on to score a league-leading 70 goals that season, leading the Jets to their second consecutive trip to the AVCO Cup finals.
Hedberg was named the WHA's rookie of the year in 1974-1975 and named as a Second Team All-Star. He earned First Team honors and a selection to the mid-season All-Star Game for each of his next three seasons and was also named the WHA Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1976-1977. Hedberg was an integral part of AVCO Cup championship teams in 1975-1976 and 1977-1978.
Hedberg and Nilsson each signed a lucrative deal to join the NHL's New York Rangers in 1978-1979 and Hedberg went on to play seven seasons in New York. He retired following the 1984-1985 season and won the Bill Masterton Trophy that year as the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey”. |
