Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Anton Stralman
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed defenseman Anton Stralman to a one-year contract. The signing was carried out minutes before an arbitration hearing for the restricted free agent (RFA).
Anton Stralman
Stralman began his professional career in Sweden, where he played for the Skovde IK junior squad. Stralman preformed well for the team, and managed to make the senior squad, participating regularly in the second tier Swedish league.
After three seasons with Skovde IK, Stralman signed a two-year deal with Timra IK, and in 2006 was given a starting position on the clubs Swedish Elite League side. He preformed very well for the team, notching 21 points in 51 games, and getting nominated for rookie of the year.
Stralman was selected 216th overall in the 7th round of the 2005 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He split his two seasons with Toronto between the Leafs and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Toronto Marlies.
Stralman played well for the Leafs but was traded in the offseason to the Calgary Flames. The Flames quickly turned him around, moving him to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Last season with the Blue Jackets was the Swedes first full season in the league, and he managed to notch 34 points in 73 games, for a struggling Columbus team.
Blue Jackets’ Perspective
Stralman is a great addition to a Blue Jackets blue line that is slowly becoming younger, and is in serious need of puck moving defenceman.
The youngster impressed in his first year with the club, finishing seventh on the team in points and first among defenceman. The power play specialist quickly became a major part of the clubs offence, and is expected to inherit an even larger role next season.
With such a slow defence core, Stralman plays an important role in the clubs break-out. With the departure of coach Ken Hitchcock, the Blue Jackets game has opened up a great deal and defence is no longer the top priority. However, they still find themselves full of aging stay-at-home defenders. With such a speedy forward group, the team looked detached at the back end. Stralman is the first in what the Blue Jackets are hoping is a younger and more offensively savvy group of defenceman.
Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson will be happy getting Stralman back before the arbitration hearing. However, the length of the deal may be slightly disconcerting. The 23 year-old could become a hot commodity in the Western Conference if he is able to put up similar numbers next year. The fact that he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season could mean that the Blue Jackets will have to overpay for his services.
Stralman’s Perspective
For Anton Stralman this is a great deal, the youngster has a lot of responsibility in Columbus, and gets to continue his growth on the power play.
The time Stralman spent in the Swedish Elite League has obviously helped his transition to the NHL, as he has spent very little time in the AHL for a 23 year-old defenceman. However, last season was the first opportunity he was afforded to play a full season, and he did not disappoint. Spending most his time with the Maple Leafs battling to remain in what was a very sub-par line-up, Stralman looks at home in Columbus.
Drafted in the 7th round, it seemed far-fetched to believe that Stralman could become an everyday NHL player, nevertheless, the Swede has done exactly that. He should enjoy an elevated level of responsibility next year with the Jackets and if his 20 minutes a night goes up, as it is expected to, the Blue Jackets may have found a diamond in the rough.
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