The LA Kings have signed defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a one-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $1,000,000 through the 2026-27 season.
Gustafsson, 34, spent the majority of the 2025-26 season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL), skating in 39 games with 33 assists and 37 points (4-33=37) with 12 power-play goals, 32 penalty minutes (PIM) and a +21 rating. Gustafsson paced all Grand Rapids blueliners in points and was one of 12 AHL defensemen with more than 30 helpers. He added six points (1-5=6) in eight Calder Cup Playoff contests. The 6-0, 190-pound defenseman also suited up in two games for the Detroit Red Wings.
Selected in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2012 Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, Gustafsson has accumulated 47 goals and 240 points (47-193=240) in 517 career NHL games over parts of 10 seasons between the Chicago Blackhawks (2015-20, 2021-22), Calgary Flames (2019-20), Philadelphia Flyers (2020-21), Montreal Canadien (2020-21), Washington Capitals (2022-23), Toronto Maple Leafs (2022-23), New York Rangers (2023-24) and Red Wings (2024-26). His best NHL season came in the 2018-19 campaign where Gustafsson registered his first career 60-point season (17-43=60) in 79 games, placing third in goals and sixth in points among all league blueliners. That same year, Gustafsson established career-marks in power-play goals (4), game-winning goals (3), hits (100), blocked shots (115), takeaways (34) and time-on-ice per game (TOI/GP; 22:35). He has added 12 points (2-10=12) in 49 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
A native of Nynäshamn, Sweden, Gustafsson has appeared in 159 career regular-season AHL games across four seasons with the Rockford IceHogs (2015-18) and Grand Rapids Griffins (2025-26), posting 15 goals and 95 points (15-80=95). Prior to his North American debut, Gustafsson played three seasons of professional hockey in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Frölunda HC (2013-15) and Djurgårdens IF (2011-12).
Internationally, Gustafsson has represented Sweden in five International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Championships (2016, 2018 – bronze, 2019, 2022, 2025 – gold). In 40 games across those five tournaments, Gustafsson has tallied 21 points (2-91=21) with a cumulative +13 rating.
