| HISTORY |
|---|
2001-02:
- Father Sven and brother Jimmie also play hockey in Sweden.
- Spent season with Hasten's junior team (who did not qualify for Sweden's junior elite level).
- The natural center was used on the blue line for one game and stole the show.
- Scout Hakan Andersson happened to be watching and convinced Ericsson to switch permanently.
- Ended up being picked by Detroit with the last selection of the entire draft.
|
2002-03:
- Became a regular in Sweden's third-tier league (49-2-4-6, 49 shots, even plus-minus).
- Also played occasionally for Hasten's junior quad.
- Showed enough promise to earn two-year contract with Sodertalje of the Swedish Elite League.
|
2003-04:
- Made jump to Swedish Elite League with Sodertalje, but used primarily as a center.
- Saw limited ice time, but had a goal and a minus-8 while winning 46 percent of 119 faceoffs.
- Got ice time as a defenseman at the J-20 level for Sodertalje (16-3-4-7, plus-9).
- Wasn't named to Sweden's WJC roster, one that finished seventh at the tournament.
|
2004-05:
- Spent most of year as defenseman with Huddinge at Sweden's second level (24-4-7-11, minus-5).
- Also played 15 games, mostly at the center position, with Sodertalje of Swedish Elite League.
|
2005-06:
- Saw spot duty on Sodertalje blue line in Swedish Elite League (24-0-0-0, 11 shots, minus-7).
- Had one assist in seven games as Sodertalje demoted to Sweden's second level for 2006-07.
- Signed two-year entry-level contract with Detroit.
|
2006-07:
- Appeared in four NHL pre-season games with Detroit (4-0-0-0).
- Shocked everyone with terrific AHL rookie year in Grand Rapids (67-5-24-29, plus-5, 102 PIMs).
- Tied for scoring lead among all Grand Rapids defensemen.
- Started season on surprising scoring pace (36-4-18-22) but hit wall in second half (31-1-6-7).
- Grand Rapids went 37-32-6-5, grabbing Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot.
- Held off scoresheet (7-0-0-0) in seven-game first-round playoff loss to Manitoba.
|
2007-08:
- Last defenseman cut from Red Wings' training camp after five NHL pre-season games (5-1-0-1).
- Averaged 25-plus minutes a night in AHL with Grand Rapids (69-10-24-34, plus-4, 83 PIM, 124 shots).
- Nicknamed "Big Rig" by teammates after being used to screen goalies on power play.
- Blasted a 100.1 mile-per-hour slap shot as an AHL all-star during the skills competition.
- Earned seven-game NHL call-up in February with Detroit's top four defensemen injured.
- Averaged 15:27 of ice time, including special-teams time, with Detroit (8-1-0-1, nine hits, 18 shots).
- Called up to Detroit to serve as Black Ace (spare who doesn't play) during NHL playoffs.
|
2008-09:
- Performed well with Detroit in NHL pre-season (6-0-1-1, plus-1, 11 shots).
- Roster depth, salary cap and waiver-exempt status resulted in demotion to AHL's Grand Rapids.
- Named assistant captain with Griffins.
- Battled inconsistency early in year with Grand Rapids (40-2-13-15, plus-12, 78 shots).
- Missed about a month with wrist and back injuries and returned in late February.
- Called up to Detroit in March to replace injured defenceman Andreas Lilja and didn't look back.
- Finished regular season in NHL (19-1-3-4) and was a regular in the playoffs.
- Averaged 18 minutes a game in the playoffs and played at times in the top four (22-4-4-8, plus-8).
- Missed one playoff game in semifinals to have an appendectomy.
|
