Introduction
Tom Nilsson (born August 19, 1993) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing under contract to Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Nilsson was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, 100th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft while playing in the Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan with Mora IK.
Playing career
On March 19, 2013, Nilsson was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was loaned to further develop in the Swedish Hockey League with Frölunda HC for the 2013–14 season. After his first season in North America with the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, Nilsson was traded approaching the final year of his contract, along with four other prospects, to the New York Islanders in exchange for Michael Grabner on September 17, 2015.
On October 8, 2015, after an unsuccessful attempt to make the Islanders roster and little interest in continuing in the AHL, Nilsson was mutually released from contract with the Islanders. He returned to Sweden and re-joined Frölunda HC into the 2015–16 season, on a three-year contract on October 9, 2015.
After his first season in his return with Frölunda HC, in which he won the Swedish championship as well as the Champions Hockey League, Nilsson was again attracted by NHL interest and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks on May 26, 2016. Unable to make the Canucks opening night roster, Nilsson was reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets where he played out the duration of his contract for the 2016–17 season.
As an impending restricted free agent, Nilsson opted to return to his homeland in agreeing to a two-year deal with an optional third year with Djurgårdens IF of the SHL on May 2, 2017.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2009–10 | Mora IK | J20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Mora IK | J20 | 37 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Mora IK | Allsv | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2011–12 | Mora IK | J20 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Mora IK | Allsv | 44 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Mora IK | J20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Mora IK | Allsv | 42 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Frölunda HC | SHL | 50 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2014–15 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 44 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Frölunda HC | SHL | 37 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | Utica Comets | AHL | 17 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Djurgårdens IF | SHL | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2018–19 | Djurgårdens IF | SHL | 48 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Djurgårdens IF | SHL | 51 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| SHL totals | 153 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 80 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Sweden | WJC18 | 
|
6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2013 | Sweden | WJC |
|
6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||||