He had all of the things that good leaders have—empathy for his teammates, a good skill level, a competitive edge that was terrific and a work ethic that was a good example to others.
"He wasn’t the most quiet guy, he stood up and said stuff when it needed to be said, but mostly he showed everyone on the ice and off the ice how to handle yourself. That’s what kind of leader he was." - Henrik Sedin
"I heard a lot of times from him - 'Come on, get going, play better'...he wants to win." - Mattias Ohlund
"He quietly is always having guys, young guys over to his house for dinners, getting them out of the house, and really making them feel like they're a big part of the team." - Brendan Morrison
“He's maybe the most competitive person I ever played with,” Tampa defenceman and former Canuck teammate Mattias Ohlund says. “Sometimes the fans or the media couldn't see that from him, but he was extremely competitive. His standards were set so high from all those great years he had. Even his last year or two in Vancouver, he still put up numbers that would be very good for most players. But in Vancouver, from a fan's standpoint, it never seemed to be enough. I don't think he got treated fairly his last couple of years.”
“His peers and teammates had utmost respect for him,” Morrison, now with the Calgary Flames, says. “He always wanted the best for his teammates and put the team ahead of any individual.”
On a personal note, Crawford believed he lasted eight years as a Canucks head coach partly because the Naslund's ability to be a calming influence — especially during his reign as captain.
"He quieted a lot of revolutions," admitted Crawford. "He probably understood me better than most. He put out fires that I would create."
"Probably the best captain I had..." - Alex Edler
"He was one of the best leaders I've ever had," added Kesler. "He had a lot of passion for the game and when we didn't win, he didn't mask it and took a lot of pride in his game. He took it hard. That's the kind of great leader he was — he expected a lot from himself."
As captain, he often tried to carry the weight of the universe because the heft of the world was not enough. His brow seemed permanently furrowed. - Vancouver Sun
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