Viktor Lööv enamoured himself to Marlies fans with his gregarious personality, huge hits and a few spectacular goals.

The defenseman was a part of the first wave of Swedish blueliners on the Marlies, preceding Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin.

Lööv began playing his professional career with Södertälje SK before moving to Modo Hockey for a solitary season in 2013–14.

Having been drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 209th overall in 2012, Lööv penned a three-year entry-level contract in the spring of 2014, thus beginning his North American adventure.

Not a man short on confidence in his ability, Lööv made an impact in just his second AHL game.

The Swedish defenseman scored twice, including an overtime game-winner to give Toronto their first win of the 2014-15 season.

You’ll notice on the goal call that Todd Crocker called him Viktor “Love” which is how he wanted his surname pronounced but later it was changed to Loov (think Move but switch the M for an L).

The Södertälje native recorded six goals and 21 points through 74 regular-season games in 14-15, making himself a vital part of the defensive core and into contention for an NHL spot out of camp the following year.

The NHL dream would have to wait until 18 February 2016, when an injury to Matt Hunwick led to an emergency recall to the Leafs.

Making his debut later that same evening, the Swedish blueliner recorded his first career NHL point, an assist on a goal scored by P. A. Parenteau, less than 5 minutes into the game.

His NHL career would consist of just four outings with the Leafs in which he contributed two assists.

Back with the Marlies however, he continued to be well-loved.

The third campaign in North America would see Lööv’s time come to a close in Toronto.

Exactly one year on from his NHL debut, Toronto traded the defenseman to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Sergey Kalinin.

Lööv would finish out the 2016-17 season with the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils and re-signed with New Jersey, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000.

Back in the AHL for the 2017-18 season, this time for the Binghamton’s Devils inaugural campaign, Lööv once again found himself traded come the month February.

Heading to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Christoph Bertschy and Mario Lucia, it’s a fair bet that the gregarious Swede knew his NHL dream was as good as over.

Doubtless presented with offers to return to his native homeland, Lööv signed with Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2018 and has remained with the Finnish club since, including the current 2020-21 campaign.

The man dubbed “The Love Machine” is fondly remembered by Marlies fans for plays like the following.

Not a man to take a shift off and always fully committed to the cause, Viktor Lööv was a very easy player to root for, even when he occasionally overstepped the mark regarding the physical side of the game.

His 170 games with the Toronto Marlies resulted in nine goals and 42 points, and Lööv was a part of the 2016 playoff team that fell at the Conference stage having been heavily favoured to lift the Calder Cup.

In a further seventy games split between Albany Devils, Binghamton Devils and Iowa Wild, the Swedish native compiled five goals and 24 points.