“This is a very special induction, it’s someone who the league has known for a very long time and someone I was proud to draft back in Season 6 to welcome them into the SHL. They blossomed into a fantastic defender and then went on into a career as a General Manager that puts most members of management to shame, myself included. This General Manager left our Minnesota franchise in Season 12 but ended up rising up the ranks of manager in Season 15 to lead the Los Angeles Panthers. Almost immediately they crafted a Los Angeles roster that would go onto win the Season 17 Challenge Cup and then make the finals in Season 22 and Season 24. This General Manager would foster some of the greatest players of all time, those who don the Hall of Fame and made our league amazing. It’s obvious the General Manager I am talking about is Niclas Wastlund.



Wastlund has a resume longer than any other GM to ever spend time in the SHL, maybe outside of the great Damien Littleton. A resume that spans 40 seasons, several era changes, and has many awards to their name. 3 times a winner of the President Trophy, Challenge Cup winner, 5 time Western Conference champion with a trip to the finals. Wastlund had the honor of receiving multiple individual awards during his time as GM and coach. Wastlund was nominated for the Littleton Trophy for best GM 9 total times, winning the award twice. They also had the honour of being named as the McKeil Trophy winner as best coach. This award wasn’t around for the first 8 years of Wastlund’s management career, but he had the pleasure of winning the award three times with a total of 6 nominations. Niclas Wastlund is one of the longest tenured and most prominent General Managers in history. Los Angeles fans had the pleasure of almost only knowing Niclas Wastlund as their General Manager for their entire history. The new regime is going to be an odd transition for these fans. Congratulations to a true GM legend in Wastlund. Grats dude, welcome to the Hall. You deserve it”