8th year defenseman Erik Gustafsson(28) switches up his KHL team of the last season and a half heading from Avangard Omsk to Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik.
He spent 2 full campaigns and 23 games of the current calendar with his former team, but also left for 2015/2016 to the NLA joining Kloten HC, where he put up an overseas best 26 assists and 29 points.
The d-man spent his last season in North America playing the full year with the only team he skated for, Philadelphia Flyers.
He would only skate 31 NHL games but recorded a new high 8 assists and 10 points.
The blue liner didn’t really feel like he was treated all that well in his first run in the big league, which is why he decided to bolt for Russia.
He’ll turn 29-years old soon and it’s possible he heads home for Sweden next to finish out his playing career.
Erik Gustafsson(36) Philadelphia Flyers
In his 2nd season, Philadelphia Flyers‘ Swedish-born defenseman Erik Gustafsson(36) has played more NHL games with the injury ravaged big club than he has with their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms.
He’s in the second year of his 3-year entry level deal and has fared pretty well in 21 games for the Flyers scoring his first NHL goal and adding 3 assists, while going an outstanding +11 plus/minus.
In all likelihood he could leave the minors for good next year and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him ink an extension in the offseason.
At 5’10” 180 lbs. he could maybe add some muscle weight but he’s thought of as a good puck moving blue liner and his on-ice accountability suggests he might be ok where he is.