Jeff Carlson (ice hockey)
American ice hockey player (born 1953)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeffery Lee Carlson (born July 20, 1953) is a former professional American ice hockey forward.
| Jeff Carlson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Carlson (right) in 1998 photo with fan | |||
| Born |
July 20, 1953 Virginia, Minnesota, U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Minnesota Fighting Saints | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1973–1983 | ||
Career
Carlson is best known for his role in the movie Slap Shot as one of the Hanson Brothers. Carlson also played in the World Hockey Association with the Minnesota Fighting Saints along with stints in several other professional leagues, including the International Hockey League’s Muskegon Mohawks. In total, he played nine seasons of professional hockey.As of 2025[update] Carlson is a Chief Executive Officer at MetaVista3D, and a director at Future Tech Now Corporation.[1]
Regular season
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–74 | Marquette Iron Rangers | USHL | 55 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 170 |
| 1974–75 | Johnstown Jets | NAHL | 64 | 15 | 32 | 47 | 250 |
| 1975–76 | Johnstown Jets | NAHL | 55 | 27 | 20 | 47 | 160 |
| 1975–76 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 1976–77 | Greensboro Generals | SHL | 21 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 61 |
| 1976–77 | Hampton Gulls | SHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976–77 | Mohawk Valley Comets | NAHL | 17 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 40 |
| 1977–78 | Phoenix Roadrunners | PHL | 41 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 65 |
| 1977–78 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1978–79 | Phoenix Roadrunners | PHL | 56 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 156 |
| 1979–80 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 76 | 26 | 25 | 51 | 187 |
| 1980–81 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 60 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 153 |
| 1980–81 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 14 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 |
| 1981–82 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 62 | 16 | 26 | 42 | 124 |
| 1982–83 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Major Leagues | WHA career totals (1 seasons) | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | |
Background
Jeff Carlson was born in Virginia, Minnesota along with his two brothers Steve and Jack. The brothers first played together on the Marquette Iron Rangers hockey team in Marquette, Michigan. Jeff Carlson also played in the World Hockey Association with the Minnesota Fighting Saints. He too was also known for "dropping the gloves."
Before being signed to the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Jeff and his brothers attended their training camp where all of them were told to gain more playing experience before the Saints would officially sign them. Thus, Jeff and his brothers drove to Marquette, signed, gained experience, and then moved on to play for the Fighting Saints.
Rise to fame
The Hanson Brothers characters from the hockey movie Slap Shot are recognized in sports film history. Jeff, who played "Jeff Hanson" in the film, is described as part of a unit that traveled to participate in the sport and meet audiences. Jeff had a career as a professional hockey player; during this time, he and his two costars lived in three separate cities. Jeff periodically reunited with the others for fan events. Jeff and the other actors appeared in sequels to Slap Shot and continued to represent their characters and the films.
