Henrik Tallinder

Henrik Tallinder is a National Hockey League (NHL) defenseman for the New Jersey Devils. He was origianally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, and made his NHL debut for the team on April 12, 2002, in a game against the Washington Capitals.http://sabres.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466182&view=bio On July 1, 2010, Tallinder signed a four-year contract with the Devils as an unrestricted free agent.http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.cgi?803

Tallinder began his rookie 2002-03 NHL season with the Sabres, and finished the year fourth among all NHL rookies in average ice time with 19:52. His first NHL point, an assist, came in a November 23, 2002, game against the Boston Bruins, and he scored his first NHL goal in a December 10, 2002, match-up between the Sabres and the Ottawa Senators. On the season, Tallinder played in 46 games, missing 24 games due to a high ankle sprain.http://sabres.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466182&view=bio In those 46 games, he notched 13 points on three goals and 13 assists, and posted 28 penalty minutes. He also appeared in the 2002-03 NHL YoungStars Game.http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.cgi?803

Henrik Tallinder was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on January 10, 1979. Growing up, the 6-foot-3 defenseman, who also goes by the name of Hank, enjoyed the hockey of Borje Salming, the Swedish NHL player that spent most of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs.http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/3916/sabres_report_the_henrik_tallinder_interview/ Tallinder is described by The Hockey News as a "big-minute shutdown defenseman with great size and skating ability from the back end."http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.cgi?803

Henrik Tallinder played in 468 NHL games with the Sabres through the 2009-10 season. During that time, he logged 108 points on 20 goals and 88 assists, and registered 278 penalty minutes. In 36 postseason appearances with the Sabres, he recorded 12 points on two goals and 10 assists, posting 28 penalty minutes and a +12 plus/minus rating. In his first 40 games with the Devils during the 2010-11 season, Tallinder posted four points on one goal and three assists, with 14 penalty minutes.http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.cgi?803

Before playing in the NHL, Henrik Tallinder began his professional hockey career in North America playing just one season in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Sabres' minor league affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In 74 game for the Americans, he posted 20 points on six goals and 14 assists, and logged 26 penalty minutes. On the season, he tied first among Rochester defenseman in goals.http://sabres.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466182&view=bio

Prior to playing hockey in North America, Henrik Tallinder played in his native Sweden for AIK from 1996-00, then a part of Sweden Elitserien, and now a part of the Sweden 1st Division. He also played briefly during the 2000-01 season for TPS Turko, part of Finland SM-liiga.TPS Turko