Patrick Thoresen

Patrick Thoresen (born November 7, 1983 in Oslo) is a Norwegian professional ice hockey winger who plays for Storhamar of the Get ligaen. He has a younger brother, Steffen who is also an ice hockey player. His father Petter was one of Norway's most notable players who played at five Olympic Winter Games (1980-1994).

Playing career
Thoresen started his career with his hometown Storhamar Dragons before he shifted to Canada and played junior hockey for two teams in the QMJHL; the Moncton Wildcats, and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. In the 2002–03 season, while a member of the Drakkar, he had 108 points in 71 games played, good enough for second in team scoring. His 75 assists that season were best in the QMJHL. This was a vast improvement from his first year of junior in which he compiled 73 points in 60 games played.

His first year of pro hockey in the Elitserien was a learning year for him in which most of his time was spent with the Division 2 team, Mörrums GoIS IK. He worked hard down there and put up 41 points in 38 games and eventually found himself back among the Swedish elite. He then spent the next two years playing for Djurgården full time, playing a total of 80 games and collecting 53 points, 27 of them being goals.

On May 31, 2006, Thoresen signed a contract with the Oilers as a free agent. He was somewhat of a major surprise in training camp before the 2006–07 season, and played well enough for Oilers coach Craig MacTavish to publicly state that he had earned a spot on the roster.

Thoresen became only the fifth player from Norway to play a game in the NHL, the others being Bjørn Skaare, Anders Myrvold, Espen Knutsen, and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen. In fact Thoresen was the first Norwegian NHL'er not previously drafted.

Thoresen scored his first NHL goal on October 12, 2006 against the San Jose Sharks (Evgeni Nabokov). He tallied four goals (including two game winners) and notched 12 assists in 68 games during his rookie campaign. He was a -1, among the best of the Oilers regulars that season.

On February 22, 2008, Thoresen was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Flyers.

On April 11, 2008, Thoresen was hit in the groin by a Mike Green slapshot during a playoff game against the Capitals. Thoresen was taken off the ice and driven to a local hospital. He returned to action later in the playoffs, after becoming the first Norwegian born player to take part in NHL postseason play.

On July 14, 2008, Thoresen signed a one-year contract with HC Lugano of the Swiss League. He finished the season totaling 63 points in 48 games, good for third overall in the NLA.

On May 21, 2009, Thoresen signed a two-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League. He finished the regular season with 57 points in 56 games, sixth overall in the entire KHL. He also lead all players in the plus/minus category with +45 (the previous season best was Alexei Tereshchenko with +41). He scored seven game winning goals (2nd overall), including four consecutive game-winning goals to end the regular season.

During the offseason of 2010 he opted out of his current contract with Salavat Yulaev, seeking a new NHL contract but after failing to do so, he decided to stay with Salavat for another season. Thoresen ended the 2010/11 KHL regular season as second overall in point scoring (65), second in goals scored (29) and third in assists (36). During the playoffs he amassed a total of 18 points en route to winning the Gagarin Cup, as the first Norwegian ever. His three goals and fifteen assists was tied with Alexander Radulov for the team lead in points and fourth overall in the KHL.

After that season, Thoresen decided to change the team and he moved in SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. He stayed there until the end of the 2014-15 season.

For 2015-16, Thoresen moved to Sweden to play one more season with Djurgårdens IF. Next season, Thoresen played in Switzerland with ZSC Lions of the NLA.

Since 2017, Thoresen is playing with his youth team Storhamar of the Get ligaen. In the end of the 2017-18 season, Thoresen did not play with the Storhamar, because he helped his old team SKA St. Petersburg in the end of the regular season and in the play-offs.

International career
Thoresen has represented his country of Norway on the Norwegian national team numerous times. His first experience came at the 2000 World U18 Championship "Pool B" and 2001 World U18 Championship. He also played at the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships Division I. In 2002, he posted excellent numbers: four goals and four assists in five games.

His first senior tournaments were the 2004 and 2005 World Championships Division I. His first elite senior tournament was the 2006 World Championship. His first big performance came a year later at the 2007 World Championship where Thoresen recorded five points in six games. After that, Thoresen also played at the 2009 World Championship.

He was selected to represent Team Norway at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, in which he had an impressive tournament and tallied five assists in four games. At the 2010 World Championships in Germany he notched six points in six games and led all players in scoring after the preliminary round.

His next and best tournament was the 2012 World Championship where he recorded eighteen points for seven goals and eleven assists in eight games. The 2013 World Championship was the opposite of the previous year's tournament. Thoresen recorded only two points and sixteen penalty minutes in seven games.

Thoresen also participated at the 2014 Olympics. He recorded two points on four games.

His next tournaments were the 2015 and 2017 World Championships. At both of them, Thoresen recorded seven points in seven games.

Thoresen played five games at the 2018 Olympics as well. He gained two points.

His last big tournament was the 2019 World Championship.