Larsson, a smart, two-way forward with good passing skills, was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the second round (No. 56) of the 2010 NHL Draft after scoring 15 goals in 40 games during his second season with Brynas in Sweden's junior hockey league. He spent two more seasons playing in Sweden before coming to North America in 2012.
The Wild sent Larsson to Houston of the American Hockey League for most of the 2012-13 season, but he made his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 17, 2013. On April 3, 2013, Larsson was sent to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the trade for forward Jason Pominville.
Larsson, a smart, two-way forward with good passing skills, was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the second round (No. 56) of the 2010 NHL Draft after scoring 15 goals in 40 games during his second season with Brynas in Sweden's junior hockey league. He spent two more seasons playing in Sweden before coming to North America in 2012.
The Wild sent Larsson to Houston of the American Hockey League for most of the 2012-13 season, but he made his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 17, 2013. On April 3, 2013, Larsson was sent to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the trade for forward Jason Pominville.
Larsson split the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons between the Sabres and Rochester of the AHL. He scored his first NHL goal against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 20, 2014.
He cracked the Sabres lineup for good in 2015-16, and had 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 74 games.
Larsson had 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 36 games for Buffalo in 2016-17 when he dislocated his wrist and elbow on New Year's Eve and required season-ending surgery. He showed no ill effects from the injury when he returned after signing a two-year contract on July 8, 2017.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- Traded to Buffalo by Minnesota with Matt Hackett, Minnesota's 1st round pick (Nikita Zadorov) in 2013 NHL Draft and Minnesota's 2nd round pick (Vaclav Karabacek) in 2014 NHL Draft for Jason Pominville and Buffalo's 4th round pick (later traded to Edmonton -- Edmonton selected William Lagesson) in 2014 NHL Draft, April 3, 2013.
