Topic: Niklas Hagman

Niklas Hagman (born December 5, 1979) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was a third round pick of the Florida Panthers, 70th overall, at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with Florida in 2001. He has also played for the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL, HIFK Helsinki, Espoo Blues and Oulun Kärpät in the SM-liiga and HC Davos in the Swiss National League A.

An accomplished international player, Hagman has represented Finland at three Winter Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in 2006 and bronze at 2010. He played on the Finnish team that reached the final of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, has appeared in five World Championships and twice played at the World Junior Championships, winning a gold medal in 1998.

Hagman grew up playing with HIFK, appearing with their under-18 and junior teams between 1995 and 1999. He played his first professional games in 1997–98 with HIFK. He appeared in eight games in the SM-liiga, Finland's top league, and scored his first goal. He split the majority of the 1998–99 season between HIFK's senior and junior teams before he was sent to the Espoo Blues to complete the season.