With 14 points in seven games, not only is 22-year-old Erik Gustafsson the highest scoring defenceman in the CHL, but he's also third-highest in points among all players. He takes a moment to try to explain why that is, and talks about the whole CHL experience.

by Efraim Larsson

GOTHENBURG – Frölunda Gothenburg have been one of the most successful clubs so far in this year’s Champions Hockey League, winning six of their seven games with a goal difference of plus-26 (40–14). Right now they’re between the first and second games of their eighth-final series against Finnish club Tappara Tampere, with Frölunda having won the first game 5–1 on the road.

“Despite the fact that we had control of the puck a lot and scored a lot of goals I don’t actually think we played anything more than an okay game,” defenceman Erik Gustafsson modestly said. “Tappara is clearly a skilled team and they made it difficult for us to get into the game in the opening minutes. But after our first goal I think we managed to solve some issues and started to play solid with all four lines for the rest of the game. It felt very good to score five goals as well since we’ve had some troubles with goal-scoring in the Swedish Hockey League.”

Gustafsson contributed by scoring one goal in the game, and by doing it on the power play he now has three power-play goals in the tournament. Only two players have scored more – Patrick Asselin of Sønderjyske Vojens and Ted Brithén of HV71 Jönköping both scored four, but their tournaments are now over so they can't add to their totals. Besides Gustafsson, 13 other players also have three.

With his 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists), Gustafsson is the third-highest point-scorer in the CHL and six points ahead the second best defenceman.

Erik, what is the reason you’ve contributed so much offence so far in the CHL?

“Well, it may be because I often play with Andreas Johnsson and Mathis Olimb,” he responded with a laugh, referring to the high-scoring Frölunda forwards who are the only two players ahead of him in CHL scoring. “No, to be honest I don’t really know. I try to play as offensive as possible and I like to shoot a lot when I have the puck. I’ve had a pinch of luck when I’ve scored or got noticed for an assist, and when you have that on your side the points just keep coming.”

In the SHL, Gustafsson is the fourth-best point-scoring defenceman with 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in 18 games. Last year he scored 20 points (2 goals, 18 assists) in 50 games and he will undoubtedly beat that total in the next few games. Erik himself claims that he think he improved so well mostly because of a better confidence about himself. 

“Last year I knew what I could do on the ice and I knew that I had a high peak, but my self-confidence was at the bottom at that time and that of course made an impact. This year I started out well in the CHL and at the beginning of the SHL season I tried to play as simply as possible in our own zone and focused on one game at a time to keep my confidence growing,” he explained.

You’re not the only one on your team that has been scoring a lot in the CHL so far (Olimb, Johnson and Max Görtz all have at least 10 points) and the team's offence has been outstanding with 40 goals in seven games. The SHL is one of the best leagues in Europe, but what is the reason behind this efficiency, since you aren’t as dominant in the SHL as the CHL?

“The SHL is a great league, for sure, and as a d-man I can tell that players in the SHL sacrifice their bodies and block more shots than they do in other leagues, at least the teams we’ve faced so far. I don’t know if that’s the main reason we’re as effective as we are, but it’s clearly much more difficult as a d-man to score from the blue line when you have to get the shot through a player that works harder to block it.”

Along the lines of what Gustafsson explains, it's interesting to note that 14 of the 40 goals that Frölunda have scored in the CHL so far have been scored by defencemen (35.00%) compared to 11 of the 47 goals scored in the SHL (23.40%).

You have a four-goal advantage against Tappara Tampere in the eighth-final and on Tuesday you’ll play the second game on home ice. What’s important to think about to prevent getting comfortable with the score and thinking it’s decided?

“I think it’s important that everyone on the team is focused on their own tasks and obviously not thinking that we have a four-goal lead. If we’re not thinking about the game as a totally new and different playoff game with our minds set on 0–0 from the start it could be a tough game.”

Erik also says that in the second game we can expect to witness a Frölunda club that plays as it always does, with speed and an offensive game plan. By saying that, he makes a clear statement that they believe in what they do and that their offensive tactic is a better strategy to succeed and advance to the quarter-finals instead of changing the game plan to a defence-based one.

So, what’s the best part of the CHL and what’s the difference in playing a CHL game and one in the SHL?

“I believe everyone is doing his share to play a good game, whether it’s in the SHL or CHL – at least on our club. But of course the CHL is a bit different now that we’re in the playoffs than before, because it’s always a bit more nervous to play a playoff game. But the best part of the CHL has to be that we’re facing teams other than the Swedish ones that we’re facing five times a season or more. It’s a great experience traveling around Europe to play hockey and face other cultures.”