Tim Erixon

Early life

Erixon was born in Port Chester, New York while his father Jan was a player for the New York Rangers. His family moved back to Skellefteå, Sweden following his father's retirement where he began to play hockey himself at the age of five. He is described by his father as a "two-way defenceman with offensive skills". Though he plays a different position, Erixon's play has been compared to his father, who was known as a defensive forward.

Amateur

Erixon began his professional career with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Elitserien at the age of 17, playing alongside good friend, and fellow 2009 draftee David Rundblad. He recorded seven points in 45 games with Skellefteå in 2008–09 before finishing the season on loan to the Malmö Redhawks in the Swedish second division, HockeyAllsvenskan.

Professional

Erixon entered the 2009 NHL Entry Draft as the 5th ranked European skater according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. He was selected in the first round—23rd overall—by the Calgary Flames. The Flames considered him a well-rounded player; not expected to be an offensive minded defenseman, but a player with a good vision on the ice.

Erixon, however, refused to sign with Calgary. Faced with the prospect of losing his rights before the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Flames' general manager Jay Feaster traded Erixon to the New York Rangers on 1 June 2011, in exchange for two 2011 second round draft picks (the Flames selected Markus Granlund and Tyler Wotherspoon) and prospect Roman Horák. He made his NHL debut on 7 October 2011 against the Los Angeles Kings in a game played in Sweden. He was sent to the AHL Connecticut Whale after playing nine games for the Rangers. He was recalled to the Rangers on 14 December 2011 after scoring 1 goal and 11 assists in 13 games for the Whale, and since shuttled between New York and Connecticut several times. He registered his first NHL point for the Rangers on 23 March 2012, assisting on a goal by Brian Boyle in a game against the Buffalo Sabres.

After Connecticut was eliminated from the AHL playoffs, Erixon was added to the Rangers' playoff roster. On 23 June 2012, Erixon, along with Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, and a first round selection in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft were traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Rick Nash, Steven Delisle, and a 2013 conditional third round pick.

In the 2014–15 season, Erixon made the Blue Jackets opening-night roster. On 26 October 2014, Erixon scored his first NHL goal against the Los Angeles Kings. After 19 games with Columbus, Erixon was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Jeremy Morin on 14 December 2014. Erixon featured in 8 games with the Blackhawks, before he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs on 1 March 2015.

On 1 July 2015, Erixon was part of a blockbuster trade that also sent Phil Kessel and Tyler Biggs to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Kasperi Kapanen, Scott Harrington, Nick Spaling, Pittsburgh's 2016 3rd round draft pick, and a conditional exchange of draft picks between the clubs depending on Pittsburgh's 2016 NHL regular season performance.

On 7 September 2017, the New Jersey Devils signed Erixon to a professional tryout.

International play

Erixon represented Sweden at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships and 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, winning a silver medal in the latter tournament.