Erik Gustafsson is making a strong case for himself to remain in Philadelphia's top six defense group even when Chris Pronger returns from an eye injury. His presence on the roster made the decision easier to send Matt Walker to the minors and he has played more than extra defender Andreas Lilja since being recalled from Adirondack. "He's played really well since he's been called up," said coach Peter Laviolette. "He moves the puck so well. I think over the summer he picked up a step in speed, picked up some added muscle, and he looks really strong on the ice." Gustafsson saw 23 minutes of ice time against Columbus on Saturday and finished the game with a superb plus-6 rating.