Red Wings Defenseman Resentful About Demotion in the IIHF World Championship
Photo credit: Detroit Hockey Now
Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson didn't take too kindly to being demoted in his home country of Sweden, and he was demoted to riding a bench in Avicii Arena.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson didn't take kindly to being told to take a seat after Rasmus Sandin arrived.
«It sucks,» Gustafsson continued. «I don't know if I should say much . . . I'm sitting on the bench and can't do much.»
The Washington Capitals defenseman arrived just in time to push Gustafsson out of the lineup, after he'd been one of Sweden's best players, scoring six points (6 assists) in the first seven games of the IIHF tournament.
Sandin would take his spot, alongside Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, and would skate as the 7th defenseman in the last three games.
After the Capitals' own Sandin would slot into the lineup, Sweden would perform differently. They'd lose the next two games, including a 6-2 loss to Team USA in the semifinals.
Gustafsson wouldn't shy away from how he felt.
«It sucks to sit seventh,» Gustafsson told Swedish website Aftonbladet. «I'd rather sit in the stands.»
His ice time would continually decline. After playing only 10 minutes TOI against Canada, his coach saw fit to take more than a minute of playing time away when they played against the USA with only 8:41 TOI.
Gustafsson originally arrived as a replacement for the Buffalo Sabres' Rasmus Dahlin, due to injury.
It appears even when you're doing well, sometimes its just not enough for some coaches it seems.
| POLL | ||
MAI 24 | 46 ANSWERS Red Wings Defenseman Resentful About Demotion in the IIHF World Championship Do you think defenseman Erik Gustafsson, a Detroit Red Wings player, should be the 7th Defenseman in Sweden's lineup in the IIHF World Championships? | ||
| Yews | 32 | 69.6 % |
| No | 14 | 30.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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