In 1969 the head coach of the Swedish national team invited a 17-year-old named Anders Hedberg to join the national team, but his studies prevented him from accepting. Hedberg made his first appearance in the national lineup the following year and immediately proved he was a player with great talent. He was even nicknamed "the New Tumba" after 1950s Swedish hockey star Sven "Tumba" Johansson. Hedberg played 100 official games for Sweden.
One of Hedberg's most memorable goals was the third one he scored against Vladislav Tretiak in the 1976 Canada Cup tournament. On a perfect pass from defenseman Borje Salming, Hedberg went one on one with the Soviet goalkeeper and tied the score 3-3.
By this time, he had already left Stockholm's Djurgarden and joined the Winnipeg Jets in the newly formed World Hockey Association. In what was perhaps the happiest time in his sports career, Hedberg played with teammate Ulf Nilsson on the same line as the legendary Canadian hockey player Bobby Hull?a line that was then considered the best in the WHA. Hull often stated that he'd never had partners who had mastered the fine points of hockey as well as the two Swedes, Hedberg and Nilsson. Bobby Hull scored his 1,000th career goal while playing in the lineup with the two Scandinavians.
After the demise of the WHA, Hedberg played seven seasons with the New York Rangers for a total of 465 games in which he scored 172 goals.
In a ceremony during the 1997 World Championship in Finland, Anders Hedberg and Tumba Johansson were among those inducted into the European Hockey Hall of Fame.
After completing his hockey career, Hedberg spent several years scouting for talented players in Europe for the Toronto Maple Leafs and was appointed assistant general manager of the team. In August 1999 Swedish newspapers reported that Hedberg had turned down an offer to continue as Toronto's scout. Back in Sweden, he will no doubt continue to play an active role in the world
