Linus Hultström Explained

Linus Hultström
Birth Date:9 December 1992
Birth Place:Vimmerby, Sweden
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:183
Position:Defense
Shoots:Right
Team:Linköping HC
Former Teams:Leksands IF
Djurgårdens IF
HC Vityaz
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Ntl Team:SWE
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2010

Linus Hultström (born December 9, 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently signed under contract with Linköping HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

Playing career

A product of Vimmerby HC, Hultström joined the youth ranks of Linköpings HC in 2008. He made his debut in Sweden's top-flight Elitserien with the club's men's team during the 2009–10 Elitserien season. In October 2014, he signed with another Elitserien team, Leksands IF,[1] before moving on to Djurgårdens IF, where he inked a three-year deal in April 2015.[2]

Hultström made 60 appearances for the Stockholm-based team during the 2015–16 season, tallying 15 goals and 28 assists. He also saw action in eight contests of the Champions Hockey League (two goals, four assists).[3]

On May 3, 2016, he put pen to paper on a two-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL).[4] He was returned on loan to Djurgårdens IF for the first season of his contract with the Panthers, in 2016–17. He remained in the SHL for the entire duration of his contract with the Panthers, eventually signing a two-year contract extension with Djurgårdens IF on January 10, 2017.

As a free agent following the shortened 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19, Hultström left Sweden for the first time in his professional career by agreeing to a two-year contract with Russian club, HC Vityaz of the KHL, on May 2, 2020.[5] In the 2020–21 season, Hultström quickly adapted to the new league, continuing to produce on the blueline in posting seven goals and 23 points through 53 regular season games.

On May 1, 2021, Hultström left Vityaz after just one year, remaining in the KHL by agreeing to a one-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.[6] During his lone season with Metallurg in 2021–22, Hultström recorded a career-high of 24 assists, in posting 28 points through 48 regular season games. In the post-season, he added a further 7 points from the blueline before losing in the Gagarin Cup finals to CSKA Moscow.

As a free agent, Hultström left the KHL and returned to his original club, Linköping HC of the SHL, signing a four-year contract on May 4, 2022.[7]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2007–08Vimmerby HCSWE.4101
2008–09Linköpings HCJ18161450
2008–09Linköpings HCJ18 Allsv14224420000
2009–10Linköpings HCJ18224141818
2009–10Linköpings HCJ18 Allsv8437230330
2009–10Linköpings HCJ2013123461342
2009–10Linköpings HCSEL10000
2010–11Linköpings HCJ20411110215531232
2011–12Linköpings HCJ202011262464
2011–12Linköpings HCSEL50004
2011–12IK OskarshamnAllsv47512172660110
2012–13Linköpings HCSEL5553832100222
2013–14Linköpings HCJ20322414
2013–14Linköpings HCSHL311128110334
2013–14IK Oskarshamn Allsv2329116
2014–15Linköpings HCSHL50000
2014–15Leksands IFSHL4810233320
2015–16Djurgårdens IFSHL5212193116839126
2016–17Djurgårdens IFSHL44713202430112
2017–18Djurgårdens IFSHL445192416115164
2018–19Djurgårdens IFSHL5291827419581310
2019–20Djurgårdens IFSHL5215173220
2020–21HC VityazKHL577162328
2021–22Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL4842428222025712
2022–23Linköping HCSHL529202922
SHL totals441731332061666213243728
KHL totals105114051502025712

International

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hultström förstärker Leksands IF. Leksands IF. 2016-05-03.
  2. Web site: Linus Hultström till Djurgården. Djurgården Hockey. 2016-05-03.
  3. Web site: Statistics Champions Hockey League. www.championshockeyleague.net. 2016-05-03.
  4. Web site: Florida Panthers sign defenseman Linus Hultström. . 2016-05-03 . 2016-05-03.
  5. Web site: Vityaz sign Swedish blueliner Linus Hultstrom . . May 2, 2020 . May 2, 2020 . Russian.
  6. Web site: Linus Hultstrom with Metallurg . . May 1, 2021 . May 1, 2021 . Russian.
  7. Web site: Linus Hultstrom back in LHC . . 4 May 2022 . 4 May 2022 .