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Boston Bruins Report Card: Loui Eriksson

By Andrew Thompson

Jan 15, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Loui Eriksson (21) takes a shot on goal during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Loui Eriksson (21) takes a shot on goal during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Bruins were expecting a lot out of Swedish forward Loui Eriksson this season.  Last season saw Loui receive two concussions and not as much quality ice time as the B’s were hoping for. This season the  30-year old winger was the only member of the Black and Gold to play in all 82 games. Now, the big question for the Bruins is can they find a way to keep Loui around for another couple of years, and if so, will they be able to make it work without radically changing the roster.

Loui Eriksson – Forward

Games Played: 82

Goals/Assists/Points: 30/33/63 (10 power play goals, two shorthanded goals, and five game winning goals)

As everyone knows, Eriksson was the big piece of the Dallas trade that sent Tyler Seguin (now acknowledged as one of the best forwards in the league (thanks again Peter Chiarelli!)) to the Stars.  Eriksson’s 63-point season has been his best yet in his three years in Boston. The Bruins organization decided to take a chance on keeping Eriksson after the trade deadline, hoping the Swede’s offensive power could help offset the B’s serious defensive liabilities. Unfortunately, the Bruins went down in flames like the Hindenburg.

Eriksson is due for a pay raise.  At the moment the only thing the B’s front office is saying about negotiations with Eriksson is that they are ‘ongoing’.  The Bruins could afford to keep him. If the Bruins decide to make that move they’ll need to reconfigure their forwards. This means they’ll pay decent money for their top six forwards but the bottom six would be cheaper fill-ins or players who are exceeding expectations and have a two-way contract. With the amount of young talent in Providence right now, this path seems likely.

The Swedish forward started playing more physical hockey this season. The ‘soft Swede’ was playing more like Matt Beleskey than his usual self. He was willing to play the body. He was pushing to get in to dirty areas to score goals, and that is part of the reason his production went up this season. He also spent a majority of the season bouncing between the Krejci and Bergeron line. The B’s asked him to play consistent solid top-six time, and he met or exceeded nearly all their expectations.

He had his first 30 goal season since the 2008-09 season (Dallas). He was top five in all point categories and finished tied for second in overall points with David Krejci. There is no reason why any Bruins fan can call Eriksson a disappointment or a failure this year.

Final Grade: A

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