Thommie Bergman: Nothing Passive About His Style of Play

On November 16 & 17, the Detroit Red Wings will face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden as part of the 2023 NHL Global Series. To commemorate this historic event and pay tribute to Detroit's Swedish connection, each week leading up to the Global Series, we will feature a Swedish Red Wings story in our series, 'How Swede It Is' presented by JP Wiser's. Each story is a testament to the dedication and resolve between the players and the Red Wings to build upon and maintain a tradition of excellence between Swedish hockey and the Red Wings. We continue our series with defenseman Thommie Bergman.

Sometimes you just need to try something new. After the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, Swedish defenseman Thommie Bergman was ready for the challenge of the National Hockey League.

"I was brought up in a hockey family. I start playing as a 15-year-old, then I moved up to (Division 1) Södertälje and then Frölunda. I had a couple years with the national team," Bergman said. "I thought I could play (in the NHL); Detroit had a scout that had been to the Olympics and I think mainly they were looking at Robbie Ftorek, but after the Olympics they contacted me."

Detroit was not the first NHL team to contact the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Bergman. A year earlier, Montreal Canadiens head coach Scotty Bowman had a few discussions with Bergman about joining his powerhouse club.

"I talked to Scotty Bowman the year before a little bit," Bergman said, "(But) the first year it was not too serious, but I was thinking about it. Then when Detroit called, I was ready."

Bergman's NHL debut was on Oct. 7, 1972 versus the New York Rangers. He tallied an assist and Detroit's long and rewarding association with Swedish-born hockey players had begun.

Yet, Bergman was not caught up with being the Red Wings' first Swedish player and one of the first Swedes to play in the NHL. He was more interested in establishing himself as a bona fide NHL player. And he established himself almost instantly, because of his willingness to drop the gloves.

"I had never been in North America. Never. I knew the name of about five or six players in the NHL, that was about it," Bergman said. "I could fight. I played more North American than most of (the European players) coming over.

"My two first fights were with (Dave) Schultz (on Oct. 14, 1972 vs. Philadelphia) and (Steve) Durbano (on Oct. 28, 1972 at St. Louis). After that, it (being respected) was pretty good."

Not only did the league take notice of the Bergman's toughness and his no-nonsense approach, but it also made him an instant hit with the Red Wings.

"Thommie played an honest game. He wasn't a cheap shot player," said Red Berenson, Bergman's teammate in Detroit. "He didn't have a lot of penalty minutes, but he played the man when he should, and Schultz probably took offense to it because he would recognize this guy's a Swede and I'll bully him.

"And the kid, he just didn't get bullied, he stood up for himself and that was good. Because the Red Wings at that time used to get pushed around by Philly a lot. And it was good for Thommie that he stood up for himself."

Bergman was clueless as to the significance of his first NHL fight being against Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, who still holds the NHL record for most penalty minutes in one season at 472. It wasn't until a few hours later he realized the fight was a big deal.

"After the game, in the dressing room everybody was really happy. I had no idea who Schultz was," Bergman said.

When asked who won the fight, he laughed and said, "I think it was a tie."

Not only was Bergman's abrasive play appreciated, but he was also a tremendous person. One teammate who developed a tight bond with him was current Red Wings radio analyst Paul Woods.

"When (fellow Swede) Danny Labraaten came over, those guys were obviously great friends. I decided whatever happened, I'd be around with those guys," Woods said. "Thommie wanted me to come over (during the holidays) so his kids would get an idea what a North American Christmas was like. So, he got me dressed up as Santa Claus. I came in, his kids, they were about 6 and 8. It was a fun age and it was a really, really nice family.

"I tell you when you'd come over there, he'd always have a cold Schnapps in the freezer and give you a couple shots of that. I enjoyed myself a lot with those guys."

As much fun as Woods had with Bergman and Labraaten socializing off the ice, it was Bergman the player who still impresses Woods to this day.

"I'm going to tell you something because I played with him. Thommie Bergman was really, really tough in a way - blocking shots, just outstanding. It was like having a goalie before it got to the goalie. He just was courageous," Woods stated adamantly. "He'd do all kinds of things to help the team. He didn't mind taking a hit. Whatever it took, he'd do it. He was just a great teammate. He played through those injuries. Never said a word about it, never cried about it, never complained, he just went about his business. I really enjoyed playing with him."

When Bergman returned to Sweden in 1980, he played a few more years with his old clubs, Frölunda and Södertälje, eventually becoming a coach in Sweden's Allsvenskan and Elite Leagues with Frölunda, HV71 and Skellefteå.

But he really found his niche in scouting, first with the Anaheim Ducks from 1993-98 and for the last 25 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"I know him really well," said Hakan Andersson, Detroit's Director of European Scouting. "He's a really good man. Actually, he is also a really, really good scout and tough as nails. Even now. He's an older man but he's kind of a legend in Sweden. I like him a lot."

It has been a memorable life in hockey for Bergman. He's proud of being the Red Wings' first Swedish-born player and the legacy he began between his country's hockey players and the Red Wings.

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