Swedish Elite League Scoring Champion

By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, April, 2005

Detroit Redwings forward Henrik Zetterberg certainly took advantage of a wasted year for the NHL. While the owners locked out the players in North America's top league, Zetterberg returned home to Sweden to play for his previous team in the Swedish Elite League, the Timrå Red Eagles. The return of "Zåta", who was born in nearby Njurunda, was highly anticipated by the Timrå fans at the start of the SEL season. He did not disappoint them!

The NHL couldn't resolve its labor dispute and Zetterberg ended up playing all 50 games for the Red Eagles this year. Not only did he play, he excelled, leading the Swedish Elite League in scoring with 50 points, tallying 19 goals and 31 assists in 50 games. Zetterberg finished only one point above Kristian Huselius of Linkopings HC, who was on fire with 14 goals and 35 assists in only 34 games. Mattias Weinhandl led the SEL in goals with 26 in 50 games, third in league scoring with 46 total points. Fellow NHL'er Fredrik Modin from the Tampa Bay Lightning was second in scoring for Timrå with 12 goals and 24 assists for a total of 36 points in 43 games. Left Winger Niklas Nordgren also had 36 points for Timrå  with his 19 goals and 17 assists, but in 46 games.

Zetterberg went on to lead the SEL in playoff scoring before Timrå was eliminated from the first round by Djurgardens in seven games. Despite the Red Eagles failure to advance, Zåta was red hot, racking up six goals and two assists in just seven games. Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators went on to finish as the top scorer in the playoffs, scoring 12 goals and 6 assists in 14 games, leading Frolunda to the SEL Championship.