Erik Gustafsson

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Gustafsson, 30, recorded 38 points (7g, 31a) in 61 games with Washington this season. Internationally, Sandin has represented Sweden at the 2019 and 2020 World Junior Championships, earning a bronze medal in 2020. The Washington Capitals have traded defender Erik Gustafsson to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with a first-round pick in exchange for defender Rasmus Sandin. Sandin, 22, has recorded 20 points (4g, 16a) in 52 games with Toronto this season. In 140 career NHL games, Sandin has recorded 48 points (10g, 38a). In addition, the Uppsala, Sweden native ranks second among Toronto defensemen in hits (113) and tied for second in goals.

Photo: SN According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Washington Capitals will acquire Rasmus Sandin from the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Erik ...

The team has now traded three pending unrestricted free agents after going 6-13-0, the worst record in the NHL, since January 11, including 1-7-0 since a 2-1 win over league-leading Boston on February 11. Washington enters Tuesday tied for 13th in the league with a 2.98 goals-against average, 16th with a 21.3% power-play efficiency, and eighth with a 82.1% penalty-killing efficiency. Gustafsson, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, tallied seven goals, 38 points, a +9 rating, 54.28% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 53.74% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 54.36% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 61 contests after signing with them on July 13. Besides him, John Carlson ($8 million cap hit) is the only other blueliner that Washington has under contract next season. Washington, who is currently three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins (who has three games in hand) for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, also traded left-wing Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild for a third-round pick just prior to the acquisition of Sandin. Very strange turn of events for him.

The Maple Leafs are 37-15-8 this season and have been buyers this trade deadline. The Capitals are 29-27-6 and have been sellers.

[Ryan O’Reilly](https://theathletic.com/nhl/player/ryan-oreilly-WuR6jIoZSgCoFDOL/) and [Jake McCabe](https://theathletic.com/nhl/player/jake-mccabe-e4qyoK8c2NFSTBCN/), among others. It certainly feels like Dubas is on a roll with the moves for Sandin is an affable, smooth-skating puck mover who has flirted with a top four role but could never solidify that kind of role with the Leafs. Long term, though, it’s probably safe to expect Sandin to line up on the left side of the third pair. - Sandin is in the first season of a two-year deal worth a $1.4 million cap hit. [have been buyers](https://theathletic.com/4258565/2023/02/27/mccabe-lafferty-dubas-maple-leafs/)this deadline, adding Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty.

The Maple Leafs are sending promising defenceman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals.

Official: Toronto Maple Leafs · @MapleLeafs. ·. Follow. We've acquired defenceman Erik Gustafsson & Boston's first round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft ...

It’s clearly the Leafs’ job to make that pick as high up the draft order as they can. This does not solve the question of how to activate Matt Murray. Erik Gustafsson is a 30 year old left shot defender with a cap hit of $800,000 which expires this summer.