Flyers trade Erik Gustafsson at the deadline

Erik Gustafsson’s stint with the Philadelphia Flyers did not last the length of the shortened 2020-21 season as they’ve traded the 29-year-old defenseman to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round draft pick. The Flyers are retaining 50% of Gustafsson’s salary.

Flyers trade Gustafsson nearly at the end of the 3:00 P.M. E.S.T. NHL trade deadline.

Gustafsson was signed last offseason to a one-year, $3 million deal.

The puck-moving defenseman had been a healthy scratch all of this month. He was not going to be re-signed this offseason, so you had to think that the underachieving Flyers were going to try to move him for any compensation.

Gustafsson had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 24 games for the Flyers. He had struggled in the defensive zone, which had him fall out of favor in the club’s blue-line plans. The Flyers have struggled mightily to prevent goals this season and Gustafsson is an offensive-minded defenseman. With Shayne Gostisbehere playing well, Gustafsson had slid down the depth chart.