NHL veteran abruptly abandons hockey to coach women's soccer instead

Former NHL veteran Anton Stralman has decided to call it quits with professional hockey and enter the world of soccer instead as a coach.

Former Boston Bruins defenseman Anton Stralman has retired from professional hockey and taken to coaching, but not in the sport to which he gave his name. According to Robin Olausson of Hockey Sverige, Stralman is now coaching Skultorps IF, a Swedish women's soccer team. The move marks an interesting new chapter in his post-hockey life, diverging from the sport that brought him global recognition.

Stralman, 38, closed out his playing career with HV71 of the SHL, with two goals and 16 points in 48 games this past season. He returned to Sweden after a short stint with the Boston Bruins organization during the 2022-23 NHL season. As short as it was in Boston, the fact is Stralman continued to skate and play hockey in his native land before retiring.

Aside from playing with clubs, Stralman was part of Sweden's national hockey team for a long time and quite successfully. He played 59 games with the Sweden national team from 2006-2017, scoring 15 goals, 31 points in total. He had a very successful international career, highlighted by winning a Gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Championship and a Bronze medal in 2009. These further honed him as one of Sweden's prime assets on the ice.

In the 2022-23 season, Stralman played eight games with the Boston Bruins, not posting any points to his credit, although he finished with a minus-3 rating. He also played in 17 games with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, during which he was able to manage four assists. The statistics might be modest, but his experience brought value to both teams.

In all, during a 16-year NHL career, Anton Stralman skated in 938 games for seven teams: the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes, and Bruins, retiring with 293 points. Now, a new chapter starts in the art of coaching, with new challenges and a second career. Good luck in soccer Anton, and maybe we'll see you in the World Cup one day!

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