Erik
Gustafsson
D · LAK · Balanced · Above average
- PAL
- 68
- WAR
- 0.6
- Value
- 70
- PTS
- 18
2024-25№ 87 / 314
Erik Gustafsson (Los Angeles Kings) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Erik Gustafsson
HEIGHT : 183 cm · WEIGHT : 86 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : March 13, 1992 · Nynashamn, Sweden
Drafted : 2012 · EDM · round 4, pick #93
Contract : $1,000,000 · 2026-27 → 2026-27 · Standard Contract · UFA
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Los Angeles Kings | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| 2025-26 | Detroit Red Wings | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | Detroit Red Wings | 60 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| 2023-24 | New York Rangers | 76 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 35 |
| 2022-23 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | Washington Capitals | 61 | 7 | 31 | 38 | 21 |
| 2021-22 | Chicago Blackhawks | 59 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 14 |
| 2020-21 | Montréal Canadiens | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | Philadelphia Flyers | 24 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | Calgary Flames | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | Chicago Blackhawks | 59 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 25 |
| 2018-19 | Chicago Blackhawks | 79 | 17 | 43 | 60 | 34 |
| 2017-18 | Chicago Blackhawks | 35 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 6 |
| 2015-16 | Chicago Blackhawks | 41 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 4 |
| NHL totals | 530 | 48 | 198 | 246 | 169 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | New York Rangers | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | Montréal Canadiens | 16 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | Calgary Flames | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 2015-16 | Chicago Blackhawks | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Playoff totals | 49 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 10 | |
Erik Gustafsson: our analysis
2024-25 season: 60 GP, 2 G, 16 A, 18 PTS, -19 +/-, 16:19 TOI. WAR 0.6 (87th of 314) · PAL 68, above average.
In 2024-25, Erik Gustafsson, 34, posts a PAL Rating of 68 out of 100 (above average), and his WAR of 0.6 ranks 87th among 314 regulars, in the top half.
His strengths: power play (86, among the best in the league), creation (81, well above average) and offense (77, well above average). On the other hand, penalty kill (28, below average) and discipline (38, below average) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: EV offense (+2.2); his biggest cost: finishing (-2.4).
A marked decline: his PAL was 81 in 2023-24, against 68 now; his WAR went from 1.7 to 0.6.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 70 (good value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Erik Gustafsson's story
Growing up in Nynäshamn, Gustafsson came through the local club Nynäshamns IF before moving into Djurgårdens IF’s youth system. He featured for Stockholm at the 2008 TV-pucken and progressed through Djurgården’s U18 and J20 squads, earning a regular spot on the J20 team in 2010–11 as that unit won its division and finished third in the playoffs.
He made his Elitserien debut with Djurgården in 2011–12 and scored his first goal in the league in December 2011. Gustafsson’s North American path began when Edmonton selected him in the fourth round, 93rd overall, at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. With Djurgården briefly in HockeyAllsvenskan, he signed with Frölunda HC in April 2013 and established himself over two seasons in the SHL.
In April 2015 he agreed to a two-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks and split time between the NHL and their AHL affiliate in Rockford. His career since has included several moves: a trade to the Calgary Flames at the 2020 deadline, a one-year free-agent deal with the Philadelphia Flyers in October 2020 leading to a trade to the Montreal Canadiens in April 2021, a return to Chicago later that year, then contracts with the Washington Capitals and a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs in February 2023. He signed with the New York Rangers on 1 July 2023, then a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on 1 July 2024, and later secured a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings for 2026–27.
Internationally, Gustafsson represented Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, recording one assist in six games and earning a gold medal. On the ice he is known as an offensively inclined defenceman who can quarterback play from the blue line while also taking on defensive duties when required; his role and ice time have shifted depending on team needs and injuries to teammates.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 20:01
- PP TOI/GP
- 2:42
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:03
- Pts/GP
- 0.46
- EV points
- 2
- Hits
- 4
- Blocks
- 12
- Takeaways
- 8
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 56.1 %
- Off. zone starts
- 50.0 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
16between 7 and 24 (80% range)
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 14
- Games
- 44
So far: 6 pts in 13 games. The team has played 15 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.34 pts per game (last season: 0.00).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Declining
- Points per game: 0.41 in 23-24, 0.30 in 24-25
- PAL Rating: 81 → 68
Outlook, age included
↓ DecliningAge 34: the age when production usually declines
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2024-25
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 78 %
85
High-end
- SK
- Skating
- 80
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 70
- Confidence 82 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 70
- Confidence 75 %
- DU
- Durability
- 73
- Confidence 73 %
- CK
- Checking
- 67
- Confidence 82 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 79
- Confidence 56 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 73
- Confidence 82 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 88
- Confidence 78 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 79
- Confidence 78 %
- DF
- Defense
- 78
- Confidence 75 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 84
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating80
- Top speed (35 %)35.5 · 77
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)1.89 · 77
- Distance /60 (20 %)14.7 · 83
- Speed consistency (15 %)35 · 81
ST — Strength70
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)5.783 · 80
- Body mass (50 %)-0.74 · 62
EN — Endurance70
- Ice time per game (45 %)17.4 · 68
- Total ice time (20 %)958 · 68
- Shift length (15 %)48.4 · 79
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)16.4 · 69
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.899 · 68
DU — Durability73
- Share of games played (100 %)0.805 · 73
CK — Checking67
- Hits /60 (70 %)2.604 · 68
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)2.184 · 67
- Season volume (10 %)3.367 · 66
FG — Fighting79
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.887 · 79
DI — Discipline73
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.043 · 73
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.609 · 74
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.361 · 74
PA — Passing88
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.668 · 89
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.431 · 76
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.139 · 87
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)5.148 · 87
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.596 · 92
SC — Scoring79
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.219 · 76
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.262 · 82
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)-0.19 · 63
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.162 · 85
- xG per shot (10 %)0.035 · 81
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)11.4 · 81
DF — Defense78
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.125 · 85
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.052 · 77
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.611 · 75
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.027 · 70
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-2.153 · 60
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.4 · 77
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)3.349 · 50
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)29.3 · 76
EX — Experience84
- Career regular-season games (65 %)88
- Career playoff games (25 %)74
- NHL seasons (10 %)81
OV — Overall85
- DF · Defense (30 %)78
- PA · Passing (22 %)88
- SK · Skating (12 %)80
- SC · Scoring (12 %)79
- EN · Endurance (9 %)70
- ST · Strength (6 %)70
- DI · Discipline (5 %)73
- CK · Checking (4 %)67
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 85 | 80 | 79 | 78 |
| 2023-24 | 88 | 82 | 81 | 80 |
| 2022-23 | 85 | 82 | 81 | 75 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2024-25
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
PAL Rating
68/ 100
Performance · Above average
76 of 253 at the position
Value Rating
70/ 100
Good value
2.00 M$ · expected PAL 48
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 78
- Defense
- 53
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 77
- Creation
- 81
- Shooting
- 53
- Possession
- 66
- Defense
- 58
- Discipline
- 38
- Power play
- 86
- Penalty kill
- 28
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | DET | 0.6 | 68 | 70 | 2.00 M$ |
| 2023-24 | NYR | 1.7 | 81 | 90 | 0.83 M$ |
| 2022-23 | TOR | 1.5 | 84 | 93 | 0.80 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2024-25
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
35/ 100
Below average
better than 35% of defensemen, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
87/ 100
Very good
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
6/ 100
Low
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 149 of 231 defensemen.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 86
- Shot selection
- 76
- Penalties drawn
- 57
- Puck management
- 74
Defense
- Takeaways
- 12
- Discipline
- 29
- Safe zone exits
- 6
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | DET | 35 | 87 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | NYR | 56 | 65 | 46 |
| 2022-23 | TOR | 83 | 71 | 86 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
0.0
wins above replacement
-0.0 to 0.0 — 90% interval
198 of 325 defensemen
+0.0 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- +0.1
- EV defense
- +0.1
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- -0.1
- Penalties
- -0.2
- Average → replacement
- +0.1
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | DET | 2 | 0.0 | -0.0 to 0.0 | 198/325 |
| 2024-25 | DET | 60 | 0.6 | 0.3 to 1.2 | 87/314 |
| 2023-24 | NYR | 76 | 1.7 | 0.6 to 3.0 | 19/316 |
| 2022-23 | TOR | 70 | 1.5 | 0.4 to 2.5 | 27/334 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 146.8 km/h70th percentileleague avg. 139.7 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 33.6 km/h35th percentileleague avg. 34.0 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 435th percentileleague avg. 8
- Offensive zone time
- 47.7 %98th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 60.9 km48th percentileleague avg. 56.1 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.67 km75th percentileleague avg. 4.98 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 45.3 %94th percentileleague avg. 42.8 %
- Neutral zone time
- 18.5 %69th percentileleague avg. 16.9 %
- Defensive zone time
- 33.9 %98th percentileleague avg. 40.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1140th percentile | 172nd percentile | 9.1 %71st percentile |
| High danger | 175th percentile | 198th percentile | 100.0 %100th percentile |
| Mid range | 136th percentile | 073rd percentile | 0.0 %50th percentile |
| Long range | 756th percentile | 077th percentile | 0.0 %67th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
🔥 2-game point streak
PIT
SJS
BUF
OTT
CHI
NYR
NJD
NYI
WSH
BOS
EDM
FLAErik Gustafsson: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Erik Gustafsson have in 2026-27?
Erik Gustafsson has 1 goal and 6 points (5 assists) in 13 games in 2026-27.
How old is Erik Gustafsson?
Erik Gustafsson is 34 years old: he was born on March 14, 1992.
How tall is Erik Gustafsson, and how much does he weigh?
Erik Gustafsson is 6'0" (183 cm) and weighs 190 lb (86 kg).
Where is Erik Gustafsson from?
Sweden: Erik Gustafsson was born in Nynashamn, Sweden.
What team does Erik Gustafsson play for?
Erik Gustafsson plays for the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL, at D, wearing number 64.
Is Erik Gustafsson injured?
No: Erik Gustafsson is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Erik Gustafsson?
Erik Gustafsson produced 0.0 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 198th of 325 players at his position in the NHL.
How much does Erik Gustafsson make?
Erik Gustafsson carries a cap hit of $1.0M per season, on a contract worth $1.0M in total over 1 years.
When does Erik Gustafsson's contract end?
Erik Gustafsson's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent.
Is Erik Gustafsson a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 198th of 325 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Erik Gustafsson getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 81 in 2023-24 to 68 in 2024-25 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Erik Gustafsson played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Erik Gustafsson has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists).
What are Erik Gustafsson's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Erik Gustafsson has 530 games, 48 goals, 198 assists and 246 points. His best season: 2018-19, with 60 points in 79 games.
Where was Erik Gustafsson drafted?
Erik Gustafsson was drafted 93rd overall (round 4) by Edmonton Oilers in 2012.
Is Erik Gustafsson better at home or on the road?
No real difference: in 2026-27, he averages 0.43 points per game at home (3 in 7 games) and 0.50 on the road (3 in 6 games).
How does Erik Gustafsson perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Erik Gustafsson has 49 games and 12 points in his career. His pace (0.24 points per game) is lower than his regular-season pace (0.46).
Is Erik Gustafsson a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 16 points in 2026-27, or 0.36 points per game.
Does Erik Gustafsson have siblings?
Yes: his brother Glenn (professional player, currently playing for Örebro HK in the SHL).
What is Erik Gustafsson's nationality?
Erik Gustafsson is Swedish. Internationally: Sweden — 2018 IIHF World Championship gold medal; 1 assist in 6 games.
How many championships has Erik Gustafsson won?
1: Gold medal with Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.
Where did Erik Gustafsson play before turning pro?
Started at Nynäshamns IF; then Djurgårdens IF youth organisation — under-18 team in 2008–09; split between U18 and J20 the following season; permanent J20 spot in 2010–11 (won their division, third in playoffs); extended contract with Djurgårdens IF in May 2011 through 2013–14; signed with Frölunda HC on 4 April 2013.
How many points is Erik Gustafsson projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 16 points in 44 games in 2026-27 (7 to 24 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Los Angeles Kings teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)