# Mattias Norlinder

Mattias Norlinder (born 12 April 2000) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was selected in the third round, 64th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL entry draft.

## Playing career
### Europe

As a youth, Norlinder played junior hockey for Modo Hockey in the J20 SuperElit, winning the 2019 J20 SuperElit championship.
He made his professional debut for Modo in the HockeyAllsvenskan during the 2018–19 season, playing 14 games with two goals and four assists. In March 2019, he signed a one-year professional contract with Modo. In the 2019–20 season, he played 34 games for Modo with seven goals and eleven assists. Despite missing time with a concussion, he was named the best junior (Guldgallret) in the HockeyAllsvenskan that season.
He was loaned to Frölunda HC in the 2020–21 SHL season, playing 37 games with five goals and five assists after missing time with a shoulder and a knee injury.

### North America

Norlinder was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the third round, 64th overall, of the 2019 NHL entry draft. The Canadiens signed Norlinder to a three-year, entry-level contract on 3 June 2021. On 6 November 2021, Norlinder made his North American professional debut with the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket, in a 4–0 loss against the Syracuse Crunch. Norlinder made his NHL debut with the Canadiens in a 6–0 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on 18 November 2021. On 27 November 2021, he scored his first NHL point with an assist in a 6–3 win against the Penguins. Having played six games with the Canadiens before returning to the Rocket, Norlinder was later reassigned on loan to continue his development and return to Swedish club, Frölunda HC, for the remainder of the season on 16 December 2021.
Norlinder returned to North America for the 2022–23 season and played in 67 games with the Rocket scoring two goals and 19 points. He was assigned to Laval to begin the 2023–24 season. Norlinder was recalled by Montreal on 21 November 2023 after Jordan Harris suffered a significant injury. However, he saw no playing time with the Canadiens and, after David Savard came back from injury, he was returned to Laval on 10 December.

### Return to Europe

Prior to the beginning of the NHL free agency period, Norlinder was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Canadiens before the deadline of 30 June 2024, making him an unrestricted free agent. On 2 September, after Norlinder trained with former club Modo Hockey in the preseason, the team began a crowdfunding campaign to raise 1,000,000 Swedish kronor ($97,500) in additional funds to sign him. On 4 September, Norlinder officially signed a two-year contract with the team, turning down an offer from the Canadiens to do so.

## International play

Norlinder represented Sweden men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, winning a bronze medal. He made his senior national team debut at the 2020 Karjala Tournament in the Euro Hockey Tour.

## Personal life

Norlinder's younger brother, Linus, is also an ice hockey player.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2017–18 | Modo Hockey | J20 | 36 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Modo Hockey | J20 | 30 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 2018–19 | Modo Hockey | Allsv | 14 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2019–20 | Modo Hockey | Allsv | 34 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020–21 | Frölunda HC | SHL | 37 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 2021–22 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Laval Rocket | AHL | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Frölunda HC | SHL | 21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| 2022–23 | Laval Rocket | AHL | 67 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | Laval Rocket | AHL | 50 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| SHL totals | SHL totals | SHL totals | 58 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2020 | Sweden | WJC | | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Sweden | Karjala | 4th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year | Ref |
| HockeyAllsvenskan |||
| Best junior (Guldgallret) | 2020 | |