The Winnipeg Jets signed Thommie Bergman in December 1974 after he was waived following his refusal to accept a minor league demotion from the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.
The first Swedish player to make it in North American pro hockey gave the Jets a strong, physical presence on the blue line and in 1975-1976, he helped lead the Jets to their first AVCO Cup championship.
In the 1976 playoffs, Bergman suffered a shoulder separation and reinjured the shoulder during the 1976 Canada Cup tournament. which kept him on the sideline for much of the 1976-1977 season. He recovered and returned to his regular spot on the blue line in 1977-1978, but late in the year, due to the Jets' financial problems, he requested a trade and the Jets sold his contract back to the Red Wings.
Bergman played in the annual mid-season WHA All-Star Game in 1976 and 1977. |
