A Few Reasons Why Erik Gustafsson Was Brought To Philly

Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher signed 28-year-old Defenceman Erik Gustafsson to a favorable one-year $3 million deal, maybe it was due to familiarity with the team after striking out to replace the retired Matt Niskanen:

“I’m back home in Sweden right now. I got the deal done late last night. I’m sure that they are going to reach out to me soon. I know a couple guys from before, Oskar and Hägg, too. I’m actually practicing with Hägg right now back home here. Both of them are two very good guys that I know. I’m looking forward to playing with them.”- Erik Gustafsson

The question I find myself asking is could Gustafsson have been brought in for another reason? The answer is yes, absolutely, and there are a few reasons why.

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Let’s start with the Power Play. The Flyers finished with the 11th best Power Play in the Regular Season (81.8% success rate), however the Flyers finished with one of the worst Power Plays in the bubble going 4-52, which was good enough for a 7.7% success rate. Gustafsson makes a living on the Power Play. He has a cannon of a shot, and Gustafsson gets the puck through. In his four year career in the NHL (Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames), he has registered six Power Play goals to go along with 25 helpers, “I think the team has very good guys that can play on the Power Play,” Gustafsson said. “The Flyers are, not just on the power play, but the whole group, a good hockey team. If I can do my job on the Power Play, I think I can help the team win. That’s all I’m here to do. I’m trying to do my best every night when we play the game. It was a big part for sure because that’s my type of game. Seeing the whole team too, like the core, that was a big part too.”

It’s no secret Gustafsson can play both sides on Defense (Left and Right Defense). Gustafsson can play in both the middle and bottom pairing units. At the moment he figures to be in the middle pairing unit, where the majority of the time last season that was held by Travis Sanheim and Philippe Myers. In addition, Robert Hägg/Shayne Gostisbehere (At times), and Justin Braun made up the bottom pairing unit. The Hägg/Braun pairing worked well together, but maybe the Flyers want an offensive threat on each pairing. Ghost could now possibly play with Braun or Friedman, thus giving the Flyers an offensive minded defenseman on each pairing. I figure the pairings to be something like this below if no more moves are made on the defensive side of the puck this offseason:

Ivan Provorov-Philippe Myers

Travis Sanheim-Erik Gustafsson

Shayne Gostisbehere/Robert Hägg-Justin Braun/Mark Friedman

Gustafsson is a cheap middle pairing Defenseman, and this addition could force a Defenseman to be used as trade bait if need be (With Niskanen retiring). He comes with a cap hit of $3 million, but in reality this Veteran Dman could help Travis Sanheim grow. Gustafsson is an offensive minded Defenseman, and I think Sanheim will help balance Gustafsson out when he chooses to pinch. Keep in mind Sanheim is offensive, as well. This pairing could be a thing of beauty this coming season, as Myers and Sanheim played well together as a pair last season.

This 28-year-old in Gustafsson should don the #56 for the Flyers next season. He will become the 4th Flyers player in history to wear #56 (Claude Giroux 2008, Tyrell Goulbourne, and Mike McKenna). Whatever the case maybe Gustafsson is ready to go, “Very excited to join a great team like Philadelphia,” Gustafsson said. “It’s going to be fun. It’s always tough to come into this city and play against them. It’s fun to be a part of them.”