Pentti Lund

Pentti Alexander Lund (b. December 6, 1925 in Karijoki, Finland) was a Canadian professional right winger who played for the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. He was also the recipient of the Calder Trophy in 1949. Lund is often credited as being the first Finnish player in the National Hockey League (Albert Pudas, however, played 4 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1926-27 NHL season). Lund moved to Canada from Finland at the age of six and grew up in Port Arthur, Ontario.

Junior Career
Lund began his junior career with the Port Arthur West End Bruins and the Port Arthur Navy team from 1942 to 1945. Lund led the league in scoring during his two seasons with the Navy team, where, in 19 regular season games, he scored an impressive 47 goals.

Professional Career
Lund would turn pro in 1945–46 with the Boston Olympics of the Eastern Amateur Hockey League, again, leading the league in scoring.

In 1947–48, Lund joined the Hershey Bears in the AHL where his excellent play was rewarded with two playoff game appearances with the Boston Bruins, thus becoming the first Finnish-born forward to play in the NHL. During the off-season, Lund was traded to the New York Rangers, where he won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year by scoring 14 goals and adding 16 assists in 59 games.

Lund was traded back to Boston in 1951 where he would end his professional career after an eye-injury from a high-stick on November 13, the 13th game of the Bruins season. Lund attempted a comeback after being sidelined for three months, contributing 17 points with only one eye the following season.

Lund would skate for two seasons with the senior Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds before retiring from hockey in 1955.

On September 29, 1984. Lund was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, and 8 years later, in 1992, inducted into the Finnish Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.

Video
An incredible video featuring the 1951 off-season activities of 15 NHL players in the days when most worked during the summer. Brief, excellent game footage of each is shown. Players featured are Ted Lindsay, Johnny Peirson, Bill Mosienko, Bill Gadsby, Bill Juzda, Leo Reise, Jack Gelineau, Edgar Laprade, Doug and Max Bentley, Chuck Rayner, Gus Mortson, Pentti Lund, Glen Harmon, Elmer Lach.