Anton Stralman was born on August 1, 1986, in Tibro, Sweden. As a 16-year-old, Anton played in his native Sweden for Skovde IK and then Timra IK with former NHLer Frans Nielsen. Stralman would play for the Swedish U-20 team in the World Junior Championships from 2005-07, with many players playing in the National Hockey League.
The right-shot defenseman would first play in the American Hockey League in 2007-08 with the Toronto Marlies. In 57 career games with the Marlies, the blue-liner scored seven goals with 20 assists. In 2008-09 after playing internationally for Sweden, Stralman would never return to the AHL and would play the rest of his career in the NHL.
Anton Stralman Drafted 216th Overall By Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs made Anton Stralman their seventh-round pick (216th overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft, the same draft that saw the Leafs take goaltender Tuukka Rask in the first round (21st overall). Stralman’s Swedish teammate Patric Hornqvist was the last player taken in that draft (230th overall). Stralman was one of nine players drafted in the seventh round to play at least one game in the league.
Anton Stralman’s NHL Debut To Today
On May 16, 2007, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Stralman to a three-year deal. The defenseman would make his NHL debut on October 23, 2007, in a home game against the Atlanta Thrashers. The 6-foot-1 d-man would score his first NHL goal on March 21, 2008, against the Buffalo Sabres. Stralman would be traded in 2009 twice, in July to the Calgary Flames and then in September to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Swedish defenseman would play 124 games with the Jackets with seven goals and 45 assists.
On November 5, 2011, Stralman signed a free-agent deal with the New York Rangers. Anton would play 182 games with the Rangers totaling 38 points with a plus-32 rating. On July 1, 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed Stralman to a free-agent deal, and the defenseman spent five seasons with the Lightning, playing 355 games in Tampa and registered 130 points and a plus-80 rating. After the Lightning were upset in four games by the Blue Jackets in the first round in 2018-19, Stralman signed with the Florida Panthers and played there until the Panthers traded him to Arizona in July of 2021.
In one season with the lowly Coyotes, Stralman had eight goals and 15 assists in 74 games. This past off-season, the Bruins, looking for right-shot defensive help, signed Stralman to a Professional Tryout Offer (PTO). After a good camp, Stralman was signed to a one-year deal, providing good depth to the Bruins’ blue line.
Stralman’s Contract Status
The Bruins signed Stralman to a one-year, $1m deal after his PTO. Throughout his career, Stralman has signed seven contracts totaling $48.445 million. The 36-year-old defenseman will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2002-23 season.
