LAS VEGAS, Nevada – One of the first questions Stian Solberg was asked in his media availability after getting drafted by the Anaheim Ducks was about being the first Norwegian drafted in the first round of the NHL draft. 

Solberg smiled and laughed. 

“I’m actually the second,” Solberg said. “The first would be Michael Brandsegg-Nygård.”

Indeed, it was a historic night for Norwegian hockey. 

Brandsegg-Nygård went No. 15 overall to the Detroit Red Wings. Eight picks later, the Ducks made a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs to pick the second Norwegian of the first round. 

There have been nine Norwegians to play in the NHL. They’ve played a combined 1,573 NHL games, with 835 of them played by Mats Zuccarello, who is still going strong with the Minnesota Wild at 36-years-old. 

Zuccarello is an idol