Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Carl Gunnarsson to join Swedish second division squad

Carl Gunnarsson

Orebro HK of the Swedish second division has signed locked-out Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Carl Gunnarsson, according to the team’s website.

Gunnarsson was born in Orebro and played in Sweden before heading to Toronto in 2009-10, so it’s not surprising that he would chose to head home during the lockout.

Gunnarsson is coming off of a solid season where he played primarily with Dion Phaneuf as part of the Leafs’ top defensive pairing. Gunnarsson led the Leafs in blocked shots and logged 21:42 minutes per game. He has also recorded between 15 and 20 points in each of his first three NHL campaigns.

Before the lockout, he was scheduled to make $1,250,000 in 2012-13 and become a restricted free agent this summer.

When the union and NHL finally agreed on a new CBA, Gunnarsson should resume his role as one of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ key blueliners.