After spending the entire 2016-17 season in the AHL, Erik Gustafsson returned to the NHL for the second half of 17-18. This past season, Gustafsson had his first taste of a full NHL schedule, and the now 27-year-old Swedish defenseman responded with the most points by a Chicago blue-liner in five seasons.
He scored a career-high 60 points in 79 games, good for fourth on the Blackhawks this season. And Gustafsson’s numbers were among the highest output by NHL defensemen this season:
- His 60 points ranked sixth
- He was eighth overall with 43 assists
- He had 32 even-strength points, which tied with teammate Duncan Keith and Tampa’s Ryan McDonagh for sixth
But the power play was Gustafsson’s largest contribution.