P. J. Axelsson

Anders Per-Johan Axelsson (born February 26, 1975), commonly abbreviated to P. J. Axelsson, was a Swedish professional ice hockey player with Frölunda HC of the Swedish Elitserien. His nickname in Sweden is "Pebben". He was the longest-tenured Bruin at the time of his departure from the NHL, having been with the Boston team from 1997–2009.

Axelsson played as a left winger. Although he hadn't gained the reputation of a premier goal scorer, Axelsson's gritty, unrelenting attitude as a solid, defensive-minded forward, and his ability to make smart plays on the ice, made him a fan favourite of the Boston Bruins, Frölunda HC, and the Swedish national team, Tre Kronor.

Playing Career
Axelsson played four seasons for his hometown team, Frölunda HC, in the Swedish Elitserien before being drafted 177th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.

Axelsson played all 82 games in his rookie season with the Bruins, helping them to reach the playoffs after the Bruins had missed out the previous two seasons. He has since become one of the Bruins' key skill players.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout Axelsson played for Frölunda HC in Sweden and helped the team become the champion of Elitserien. After the lockout, he returned to the United States to rejoin the Bruins. He won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

On March 23, 2006, he signed a three year extension to his contract with the Boston Bruins.

On February 21, 2008, Axelsson played his 700th NHL game, in Sunrise, Florida, a 5–4 shootout win over the Florida Panthers.

After helping the Bruins to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals during the 2008-09 NHL season, Axelsson signed a four year contract with Frölunda HC on July 27, 2009. Upon his return, he was named as one of two alternate captains for the team.

Career Achievements

 * Bronze medal at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 2001 and 2002.
 * Silver medal at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 2003 and 2004.
 * Elitserien champion with Frölunda HC in 2005.
 * Gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2006.

Records

 * Elitserien record for most assists in playoffs (10)