Niklas Edin
Johan Niklas Edin (born 6 July 1985) is a Swedish
Career
Beginnings
Niklas Edin participated in as many as ten different sports simultaneously before he took up curling.
Over the next two years, Edin proved his skills with a variety of teams on an international level. In 2007, Edin skipped a new team, playing this time with his future teammates in the senior division
Team Edin I (2008–2014)
In the spring of 2008, Edin moved to Karlstad along with Sebastian Kraupp, Fredrik Lindberg, and Viktor Kjäll to form a new team, choosing the Karlstad Curling Club as their curling home.[11] Together, the new team filled the void in Swedish men's curling left by the retirement of Peja Lindholm and quickly became seen in Sweden as the team most likely to have success on the international curling circuit. In 2009, Team Edin won Sweden's Elite Series as well as the Swedish National Championship.[12] The team also represented Sweden at the Winter Universiade and won the gold medal. That same season, Team Sweden, led by Mattias Mabergs, finished in 8th place at the 2008 European Curling Championships and fell short in two of three tight games against Finland in the relegation challenge for the 2009 World Men's Curling Championship. No Swedish team, therefore, could compete at the world championships that year.
In the 2009–2010 season, Team Edin was considered the frontrunner for Sweden's national team.[13] In December 2009, the team won the gold medal at the 2009 European Curling Championships, their first appearance at the championship. During the 2010 Elite Series, however, they lost a tough final to their closest rivals, Team Carlsén, by the score of 6–5.[14] Team Carlsén was selected for the 2010 World Men's Curling Championship but underperformed with a 4–7 loss. Team Edin was selected to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics. They barely missed the medal platform, placing fourth and losing the bronze medal game to Switzerland. They also cemented their status over their closest rivals Team Carlsén by winning the Swedish Curling Championships.[12]
Team Edin's 2010–11 season continued to advance their status as the top team in Sweden by winning Sweden's Elite Series championships.
Edin's rink continued its success into the 2011–12 season. The season became their best year at the Grand Slams, reaching the playoffs in three slams, including the semifinals of the
The 2012–13 season became Edin's best season up until that point in time. Nationally, they won a third straight Elite Series title.
The 2013–14 season was not as successful for the Edin rink, becoming their first without any title. They achieved their best success reaching the semifinals of the Shorty Jenkins Classic, beating Kevin Martin in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the team reached the playoffs of only one Grand Slam, finishing in the quarterfinals of the Masters, along with the quarterfinals of the Baden Masters and Cactus Pheasant Classic. The team also finished with a disappointing 5th place at the 2013 European Curling Championships. At the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sweden finished in first place after the round-robin, with an 8–1 record but lost a tight match to the Great Britain team skipped by David Murdoch in the semi-final. Following this defeat, the team defeated China's Liu Rui to win the bronze medal, giving Edin the first Olympic medal of his career.
The last months of the 2013–14 season signaled the eventual end of what was then known as Team Edin. Because the team had increased their international travel and the time spent in Canada to become more competitive, they had to skip the Swedish Curling Championships and withdrew from the Elite Series, despite leading the series before the finals.[18] The Swedish Curling Federation then chose the team led by Oskar Eriksson to represent Sweden at the 2014 World Men's Curling Championship, with Eriksson skipping a team including future Team Edin members Christoffer Sundgren and Kristian Lindström. The choice of Team Eriksson reflected that they had success on the World Curling Tour and were competitive with Team Edin, but they also won the Swedish Men's Curling Championships and lost a close final in the Elite Series, coming in second place. The team lived up to expectations by winning the silver World Championship medal. This also meant, however, that Team Edin was unable to defend their 2013 championship win. Instead, the team finished the season reaching the semifinals of the Pomeroy Inn & Suites Prairie Showdown,[19] followed by a disappointing sixth-place finish at the European Masters.[20] At the end of the season, the team formally announced that they were disbanding, with Niklas Edin eager to continue, but with Sebastian Kraupp and Fredrik Lindberg concerned about their ability to train and compete as necessary to reach the top of the World Curling Tour rankings while focusing on their future careers.[21]
Team Edin II (2014–2016)
In May 2014, Edin and Team Eriksson agreed to form a new Team Edin, with Edin skipping the team in the fourth position, Oskar Eriksson playing third, Kristian Lindström at second, and Christoffer Sundgren as lead.
During the
Team Edin III (2016–present)
2016-2018: Grand Slam history and third World Championship
During
In the
2018-2022:The Road to World Championship History and Olympic Gold
In the 2018–19 curling season, at the 2018 European Curling Championships, Team Edin went undefeated in the tournament until the final, where they lost to Scotland's rink skipped by Bruce Mouat. They again represented Sweden at the 2019 World Men's Curling Championship, winning the gold medal over Team Canada's Kevin Koe. It was Edin's fourth career World championship, tying Ernie Richardson's record of four World championships as a skip.[30] Edin's win was significant, however, as he is the only skip to reach this milestone since the World Championships (formerly known as the Scotch Cup) expanded to three or more teams, with Richardson's first two Championships secured in contests between only two teams (Canada and Scotland).[31] Edin also played in all four legs of the inaugural Curling World Cup, losing in the finals of the second and third legs.
Team Edin had a slow start to the
Team Edin began the 2020–21 season by winning the 2020 Baden Masters, Edin's third title in the event, tying the record held by Thomas Ulsrud, Andreas Schwaller, and Brad Gushue.[35] The team then reached the quarterfinals at the final World Curling Tour men's series 400 event in Europe in 2020, the Curling Masters Champéry.[36] With team curling effectively shut down in Europe after October 2020, Team Edin did not return to competitive play until the 2021 World Men's Curling Championship. Despite the challenge of returning without a competitive national championship, the team finished at the top of the leaderboard and was ranked first in the playoffs, defeating Team Mouat of Scotland in the final and winning the fourth gold medal for Edin and Eriksson and the third straight World Championship gold for the team - the first team to achieve this feat and to do so with the same four players. Edin and his teammates were also selected to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics at the end of the season.[37]
The 2021–22 season began with Team Edin reaching the playoffs in the first five tournaments they entered. In Switzerland, the team reached the semifinals of the Baden Masters, then the finals of the Swiss Cup Basel. The team then began the Canadian leg of their autumn schedule by winning the Penticton Curling Classic. The team also reached the quarterfinals in the Euro Super Series, as well as at the Masters and the National in the Grand Slam of Curling. At the 2021 European Curling Championships, the team won a silver medal, extending Team Edin's legacy of winning gold or silver at every championship since 2011 but one (2013). The team began 2022 with historic gold medals – their first Olympic gold and their fourth straight gold at the World Men's Curling Championship – the first team in history to win both Olympic and World Championship medals back-to-back in a single season. The World Championship win also gave Edin and Eriksson their sixth World Championship team gold medals – the first curlers in the world to do so – and gave Sundgren his fifth World Championship gold, placing him currently second on the all-time World Championship team gold medal list. The team wrapped up the season by coming in second place in the finals of the 2022 Players' Championship and reaching the semifinals of the 2022 Champions Cup.
2022-2026:The Road to the 2026 Olympics
2022–23 season
Shortly after the 2021–22 season closed, Team Edin formally announced that the same lineup planned to continue through the end of the next Olympic cycle, aiming to secure another medal in the 2026 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
- The "spinner"
In their Draw 12 game at the 2023 World Men's Curling Championship against Norway, Edin made what many were calling one of the greatest or "craziest" shots in curling history, which has been dubbed a "
2023–24 season
The 2023–24 season did not see the team win any tour events, but ended with Team Edin winning a record seventh World Curling Championship in April. On the road to the Championship, the team came in second place at the Shorty Jenkins Classic and the 2023 National, as well as at the European Curling Championships, where the team finished with a 6-3 win-loss record, reaching the final and coming in second to Scotland after losing in an extra end. The team fell short in the Sun City Cup in their home rink in Karlstad, but spent the rest of the season leading up to the worlds training and preparing for the World Curling Championships. The team won their first eleven games there, and were ranked in first place after the round robin. The team made it to the final, and won the gold medal in a tight victory over Canada (Team Gushue). The victory was an historic seventh World Curling Championship victory for Edin and Erkisson, and the sixth for Sundgren and fifth for Wranå. The team ended their season at the Players' Championship, where the team reached the quarterfinals.
Mixed events
Despite his participation in mixed events early in his curling career, Edin had until recently primarily played mixed doubles and mixed team curling at the Continental Cup. After the addition of Mixed Doubles in the 2018 Olympics, however, Edin began to participate in mixed doubles events, in part reflecting the Swedish Curling Association's recognition that Team Sweden might more likely earn a place in the Mixed Doubles Olympic competition by permitting curlers on men's and women's national teams to vie for a chance to compete in Mixed Doubles at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. As a result, Edin began to participate in the Swedish Mixed Doubles Curling Championships, placing 4th in 2019,[45] but missing the playoffs in 2020.[46] He also teamed up with Rachel Homan for the inaugural mixed doubles event at the 2018 WCT Arctic Cup, and the duo won the event.[47]
In the 2020–21 season, the Swedish Curling Association launched a substantial effort to support five teams on the mixed doubles tour in order to prepare for the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship and to secure an entry for Team Sweden to compete in mixed doubles at the 2022 Olympics. Edin was selected for one of the teams, partnering with Emma Sjödin of Team Sundberg for the 2020–21 curling season. In their inaugural event, the Oberstdorf International Mixed Doubles Cup, Sjödin and Edin reached the semifinals, losing to Sjödin's teammate Johanna Heldin and Team Edin alternate Daniel Magnusson.[48] Sjödin and Edin won their next mixed doubles event, the 2020 WCT Tallinn Mixed Doubles International, defeating the tournament frontrunners Jayne Stirling and Fraser Kingan in the final.[49]
Career Milestones and Records
Niklas Edin is the only skip in history to skip teams to seven World Men's Curling Championship gold medals and the first to do so at four consecutive World Men's Curling Championships (2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024). He is also the only skip in history to have skipped a team to three Olympic medals ... a gold (2022), a silver (2018), and a bronze (2014) – and the only skip to secure back-to-back Olympic and World Men's Curling Championship in history. Currently, only two other curlers have won all three medals, Agnes Knochenhauer and Oskar Eriksson.
Edin also currently holds several records with his teammates Eriksson, Sundgren, and Wranå, who formed the team that won four gold medals between 2018 and 2022. Edin and Eriksson hold the most European Men's Curling Championship titles (seven) and share the record for most World Men's Curling Championship titles (seven). They also hold the record as the first men's curlers to simultaneously hold both the World Curling Championship and European Curling Championships in three separate curling seasons (2012–2013, 2014–2015, and 2017–2018).[50] In 2019, Edin, together with his teammates Eriksson and Sundgren, also became the first men's curlers to hold these same titles simultaneously in two separate calendar years (2015 and 2019).[51] Edin, Eriksson, and Sundgren are also the first curlers in history on the men's side to win four European Championship gold medals in a row (2014–2017). Edin is also the only curler to appear in the Continental Cup for twelve consecutive competitions (2007–08 and 2011–2020, with the competition not held in 2009 or 2010). With Eriksson, Sundgren, and Wranå, Edin's team became the first non-Canadian men's team to win three Slams at the Grand Slam of Curling and the Pinty's Cup, with the only other non-Canadian men's team to win more slams skipped by Bruce Mouat.
In 2009 Edin was inducted into the Swedish Curling Hall of Fame.
Grand Slam Record
When Edin won the 2016 WFG Masters, he became the first non-Canadian skip to win a men's Grand Slam event.[52]
Key | |
---|---|
C | Champion |
F | Lost in Final |
SF | Lost in Semifinal |
QF | Lost in Quarterfinals |
R16 | Lost in the round of 16 |
Q | Did not advance to playoffs |
T2 | Played in Tier 2 event |
DNP | Did not participate in event |
N/A | Not a Grand Slam event that season |
Event | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tour Challenge | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Q | C | SF | Q | QF | N/A | N/A | C | QF |
The National | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | QF | QF | QF | Q | DNP | Q | SF
|
DNP | QF | F | N/A | QF | F | F |
Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | QF | QF | SF | Q | QF | Q | QF | C | F | SF | Q | N/A | QF | DNP | Q |
Canadian Open | Q | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | SF | DNP | Q | Q | QF | F | F | SF | Q | N/A | N/A | F | Q |
Players' | DNP | DNP | DNP | QF | F | DNP | Q | Q | Q | QF | C | F | QF | N/A | QF | F | QF | QF |
Champions Cup | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | QF | SF | Q | SF
|
N/A | QF | SF | SF | N/A |
Elite 10 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | F | Q | Q | Q | Q | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Teams
Season | Skip | Third | Second | Lead | Alternate | Events |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003–04 | Niklas Edin | Nils Carlsén | Jörgen Granberg | Fredrik Lindberg | Anders Eriksson |
WJCC |
2005–06 | Nils Carlsén | Niklas Edin | Marcus Hasselborg | Manne Allberg |
WJCC, WCC | |
2006–07 | Niklas Edin Nils Carlsén |
Marcus Hasselborg Niklas Edin |
Manne Allberg Marcus Hasselborg |
Fredrik Lindberg Manne Allberg |
Kristian Lindström | WJCC WCT |
2007–08 | Nils Carlsén | Niklas Edin | Marcus Hasselborg | Manne Allberg | ||
2008–09 | Niklas Edin | Sebastian Kraupp | Fredrik Lindberg | Viktor Kjäll | ||
2009–10 | Niklas Edin | Sebastian Kraupp | Fredrik Lindberg | Viktor Kjäll | Oskar Eriksson | ECC, OG |
2010–11 | Niklas Edin | Sebastian Kraupp | Fredrik Lindberg | Viktor Kjäll | Oskar Eriksson | ECC, WCC |
2011–12 | Niklas Edin | Sebastian Kraupp | Fredrik Lindberg | Viktor Kjäll | Oskar Eriksson | ECC, WCC |
2012–13 | Niklas Edin | Sebastian Kraupp | Fredrik Lindberg | Viktor Kjäll | Oskar Eriksson | ECC, WCC |
2013–14 | Niklas Edin | Sebastian Kraupp | Fredrik Lindberg | Viktor Kjäll | Oskar Eriksson | ECC, OG |
2014–15 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Kristian Lindström | Christoffer Sundgren | Henrik Leek | ECC, WCC |
2015–16 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Kristian Lindström | Christoffer Sundgren | Henrik Leek | ECC, WCC |
2016–17 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Henrik Leek | ECC, WCC |
2017–18 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Henrik Leek | ECC, OG, WCC |
2018–19 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Daniel Magnusson | ECC, WCC |
2019–20 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Daniel Magnusson | ECC |
2020–21 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Daniel Magnusson | WCC |
2021–22 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Daniel Magnusson | ECC, OG, WCC |
2022–23 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Daniel Magnusson | ECC, WCC |
2023–24 | Niklas Edin | Oskar Eriksson | Rasmus Wranå | Christoffer Sundgren | Daniel Magnusson | ECC, WCC |
References
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- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Niklas Edin". Retrieved 5 February 2009.
- ^ 2020 Continental Cup Media Guide: Team Edin
- ^ "Kapet som får KCK att drömma om OS", Nya Wermlands-Tidningen (20 May 2008) (https://www.nwt.se/2008/05/20/kapet-som-far-kck-att-dromma-om-os/)
- ^ "Championships". World Curling Federation. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ "Team Niklas Edin (Grand Slam of Curling)". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ "CurlingZone - Men Rankings 2017-18, week 24". www.curlingzone.com. Jan 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
- ^ "World Team Rankings: Men". curlingzone.com. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
- ^ a b "CURLING: Niklas Edin - Skip - Team Sweden (2012 European Curling Champions)". YouTube. 17 December 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- ^ "Kapet som får KCK att drömma om OS". Nya Wermlands Tidningen. 5 May 2008. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
- ^ a b c d "Landlagsspelare genom tidernaa – Herrar (E)". 4 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
- ^ "Lag Edin från Karlstad är Sveriges EM-representant". Nya Wermlands Tidningen. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
- ^ "Elitserien 2009-2010". 19 November 2009.
- ^ "Elitserien Herrar 2010/2011".
- ^ "Edin Reaches 2011 Perth Masters Semifinal". CurlingZone. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
- ^ "Edin is World Champ". Curlingscoops.com. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
- ^ "lag-edin-avstar-slutspelet (05 March 2014)". CurlingZone.com. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ "Pomeroy Inn & Suites Prairie Showdown Playoffs (2014)". CurlingZone.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ "European Masters Playoffs (2014)". CurlingZone.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ "Lag Edin splittras". Nya Wermalands Tidning (05 May 2014). 5 May 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ a b "Edin och Eriksson bilder supercurlinglag". Nya Wermlands-Tidningen. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 2020-04-05..
- ^ "Karuizawa International Playoffs". Curlingzone. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ "German Masters Playoffs". Curlingzone. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ "Skada tvingar Edin byta spelare". Värmlands Folkblad. 3 Jun 2016. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
- ^ "Team Niklas Edin". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-17.
- ^ "Niklas Edin becomes first non-Canadian skip to win Grand Slam of Curling Masters".
- ^ "World Curling Tour: #1 Ranked Edin Opens Season in Baden". Archived from the original on 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
- ^ "From playing Yatzy on tour to the Olympic Winter Games". 23 August 2017.
- ^ "Defending champion Edin wraps up top spot, sets sights on claiming historic fourth world championship". Winnipeg Sun. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- List of men's World Curling champions
- ^ "Team De Cruz Wins 2019 Swiss Cup Basel". Curlingzone.com. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- ^ "Team Matsumura Wins 2019 Karuizawa International". Curlingzone.com. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- ^ "Herrarnas curling-VM ställs in", Värmlands Folkblad (14 March 2020) (https://www.vf.se/2020/03/14/herrarnas-curling-vm-stalls-in/)
- ^ "Niklas Edin Wins Baden Masters", CurlingZone (31 August 2020)(https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=2717#1)
- ^ "Curling Masters Champery - World Curling Tour".
- ^ "Klartecken och uttagning av tre curlinglag till OS 2022". Svenska Curlingförbundet. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- ^ "Lag Edin bekräftar: Satsar vidare mot OS 2026". Värmlands Folkblad. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
- ^ "CURLING: Olympic champion Niklas Edin not taking anything for granted after returning from knee injury". Toronto Sun. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "Canada's Gushue tops Sweden's Edin to reach semis at men's curling worlds". TSN. April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ "Niklas Edin shot heard around the curling world leaves fans, rivals in awe". Ottawa Sun. April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ "Curling world reacts to possible 'greatest shot of all-time' by Sweden's Edin". TSN. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Craziest Curling Shot in History?". Sports Illustrated. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Sweden's Edin makes a "one in a 1,000" game-tying spinner at world curling playdowns". Canadian Press. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Resultat 2018-19". Swedish Curling Association. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Resultat 2018-19". Swedish Curling Association. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Homan/Edin Win Arctic Cup Mixed Doubles Title". CurlingZone. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ "CT Tallinn Mixed Doubles International Playoff BRacket". CurlingZone. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ "CT Tallinn Mixed Doubles International". CurlingZone. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- List of men's World Curling champions and European Curling Championships
- List of men's World Curling championss
- ^ "WFG Masters Live: Homan faces Hasselborg in semis". www.thegrandslamofcurling.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-30.
External links
- Niklas Edin at World Curling
- Niklas Edin at Olympics.com
- Niklas Edin at Olympedia
- Niklas Edin at the Swedish Olympic Committee (in Swedish)
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Niklas Edin". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17.