Lukas Bengtsson

Lukas Bengtsson (born 14 April 1994) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently playing with EV Zug in the National League (NL).

Lukas Bengtsson
Bengtsson playing for Mora IK in 2012
Born (1994-04-14) 14 April 1994 (age 30)
Stockholm, Sweden
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb; 12 st 4 lb)
PositionDefense
ShootsRight
NL team
Former teams
EV Zug
Frölunda HC
WBS Penguins
Linköping HC
SKA Saint Petersburg
Dinamo Minsk
Växjö Lakers
National team Sweden
NHL draftUndrafted
Playing career2012–present

Playing career

At the youth level, Bengtsson played for Huddinge IK, Djurgårdens IF, and Mora IK. He logged his first minutes in Sweden’s second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan with Mora’s men’s team during the 2011–12 season.

In February 2015, he signed with Frölunda HC of Sweden’s top-flight SHL.[1] He made 42 appearances, recording nine goals as well as 12 assists, as Frölunda won the 2016 SHL title. Bengtsson was also influential in the team's success in the Champions Hockey League: He saw the ice in ten contests, scoring two goals and assisting on five more, helping Frölunda capture the CHL title.[2]

On 27 April 2016, he penned a two-year, entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).[3]

During the 2016 offseason, Bengtsson was diagnosed with Lyme disease and underwent antibiotic treatment. He began training camp with the Penguins, but soon the disease returned, and he was placed on injured reserve. He underwent another antibiotic treatment and played his first AHL game for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on 13 November 2016. After a 6 January 2017 game during which Bengtsson felt exhaustion and intense pain, he was shut down for the season. Further tests revealed he probably never had Lyme disease; instead, in March 2017, Bengtsson was diagnosed with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Bengtsson was able to return to play for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before the 2017–18 season.[4][5]

At the conclusion of his entry-level contract with the Penguins, Bengtsson, an impending restricted free agent, opted to return to Sweden, signing a three-year contract with Linköpings HC of the SHL on 18 May 2018.[6] In the 2018–19 season, Bengtsson led the defense of Linköpings in scoring with seven goals and 24 points in 42 games.

Opting for a release from his only season with Linköping HC, Bengtsson was signed to a lucrative two-year contract with Russian club SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL on 21 May 2019.[7]

Following two seasons with SKA, Bengtsson was traded in the off-season to HC Dinamo Minsk in exchange for Stepan Falkovsky on 16 June 2021.[8] At the end of the season, March 11 left the team.[9]

In May 2022, he signed a three-year contract with the Växjö Lakers of the SHL.[10] In his lone season with the Lakers in 2022–23, Bengstsson was a fixture on the blueline and helped the club claim SHL championship.

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
2024 Czech Republic

Bengtsson represented Sweden at the 2024 IIHF World Championship and won a bronze medal.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2010–11Mora IKJ183331215430000
2010–11Mora IK IISWE.2 U2022022
2011–12Mora IKJ1891230
2011–12Mora IKJ202535837
2011–12Mora IKAllsv30000
2012–13Mora IKJ20324141818
2012–13Mora IKAllsv221342
2013–14Mora IKJ2022240
2013–14Mora IKAllsv451320331052350
2014–15Mora IKAllsv43823311050222
2014–15Frölunda HCSHL91342
2015–16Frölunda HCSHL30771412122570
2016–17Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL161566
2017–18Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL3701515830110
2018–19Linköping HCSHL427172412
2019–20SKA Saint PetersburgKHL2621113841234
2020–21SKA Saint PetersburgKHL394162010121238
2021–22Dinamo MinskKHL424151914
2022–23Växjö LakersSHL4812183010181892
2023–24EV ZugNL485242910112576
SHL totals1202642683439416204
KHL totals107104252321624612

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014SwedenWJC 71230
2022SwedenOG4th61120
2023SwedenWC6th80112
Junior totals71230
Senior totals141232

Awards and honors

AwardsYear
SHL
Le Mat Trophy2023[11]

References