Maja Nylen Persson is a professional women’s hockey player from Avesta, Sweden. Nylen Persson, a defender, currently plays for the PWHL’s New York Sirens.
The Swedish national team star is one of the best players to ever come from the nation. Prior to the PWHL, Nylen Persson spent 11 seasons in the SDHL with Leksands IF and Brynas. She’s one of the most decorated defenders in SDHL history. In 2019, Nylen Persson was the SDHL’s Best Junior Player, an honor she repeated in 2020. Nylen Persson won three consecutive Defender of the Year awards. She earned the SDHL in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In each of those seasons, Nylen Persson led the league in points by a defender. In 2022, she was the Salming Award winner as Sweden’s top defender among men or women. As well, she was Sweden’s women’s hockey Player of the Year in 2022.
Internationally, Nylen Persson was a member of a talented Swedish U-18 national team. Representing Sweden at the U-18 World Championships Nylen Persson won bronze and silver in 2016 and 2018. She’s been a long time staple of the Swedish senior national team blueline helping the nation make significant gains in international competitiveness.
After declaring for the 2024 PWHL Draft, Nylen Persson was selected in the second round, 10th overall by the New York Sirens.