ERIK GUSTAFSSON - Defenseman - 27 - $1.20MM Cap Hit - UFA in 2020-2021
LAST UPDATED 7/28/19
One of the shock success stories of the 2018-19 season, Erik Gustafsson went from being a somewhat promising seventh defenseman into a legitimate offensive dynamo from the back end. He exploded for 17 goals and 60 points, and flashed the offensive upside scouts knew was always present in his puck moving game. A natural defenseman in transitioning, Gustafsson has the puck skills, speed, and vision to be an effective puck moving defenseman. His shooting is strong, and his defensive game is more based on brains than brawn, as he sacrifices physical strength for strong positioning and a good defensive stick. All these traits combined with his production point to Gustafsson being a legitimate top-pairing defenseman, but his isolated impact metrics aren't nearly as strong as his stats sheet was. His isolated impact metrics point to Gustafsson being an average offensive play driver who's a defensive liability and a major negative on the power play. While I don't take advanced metrics as absolute gospel, they do raise questions, and because Gustafsson's elite production isn't proven, counting on him to have a repeat elite season is risky. I hope he does well for his sake, but the underlying numbers aren't as sympathetic. His sophomore season as an everyday defenseman will be telling.
One of the shock success stories of the 2018-19 season, Erik Gustafsson went from being a somewhat promising seventh defenseman into a legitimate offensive dynamo from the back end. He exploded for 17 goals and 60 points, and flashed the offensive upside scouts knew was always present in his puck moving game. A natural defenseman in transitioning, Gustafsson has the puck skills, speed, and vision to be an effective puck moving defenseman. His shooting is strong, and his defensive game is more based on brains than brawn, as he sacrifices physical strength for strong positioning and a good defensive stick. All these traits combined with his production point to Gustafsson being a legitimate top-pairing defenseman, but his isolated impact metrics aren't nearly as strong as his stats sheet was. His isolated impact metrics point to Gustafsson being an average offensive play driver who's a defensive liability and a major negative on the power play. While I don't take advanced metrics as absolute gospel, they do raise questions, and because Gustafsson's elite production isn't proven, counting on him to have a repeat elite season is risky. I hope he does well for his sake, but the underlying numbers aren't as sympathetic. His sophomore season as an everyday defenseman will be telling.
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