Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Carl Gunnarsson has signed overseas with Orebro of Sweden’s second division.
The move marks a return to his hometown for the 25-year-old, who acknowledged the transaction on Twitter Monday:
Tack för lyckönskningarna. Är taggad på att lira och känns grymt att vara hemma i Öret igen #örebrohockey
— Carl Gunnarsson (@carl_gun) November 12, 2012
“Thanks for the good wishes. Is tagged to Lira and feels great to be home in the tube again #Örebro Hockey,” reads Gunnarsson’s translated tweet.
Gunnarsson played four seasons with the Swedish Elite League’s Linkopings HC prior to joining the Leafs in 2009-10, and he competed for Sweden in the 2010 and 2011 world championships.
He scored four goals and added 15 assists in 76 games played for Toronto last season.
Why Allsvenskan, not SEL for Gunnarsson? Born & raised in Örebro, why wouldn’t you temporarily play for your youth club in a decent league?
— Matias Strozyk (@MaStrozyk) November 12, 2012