Axelsson's Bruin career has officially come to a close

First reported by WEEI.com this morning, PJ Axelsson has signed a four-year deal with his hometown Frolunda team in the Swedish Elite League.

Axelsson played in Boston for 11 years and has 797 games of NHL experience as a Bruin.

"His heart was (in Boston). He loved it here and he loved the Boston fans," said Neil Abbott, Axelsson's agent. "There wasn’t anything he enjoyed more than playing (in Boston), but once that wasn’t an option it became a choice of playing here, playing there or taking a very nice offer to stay home. We respected and accepted the decision by the Bruins. Once he found out that returning to (Boston) wasn’t an option, going back home to Europe became a much easier decision to make.”

A tip of the cap is required to Axelsson, as playing 11 years for one franchise these days is rare. Finding a night where Axelsson took a night off was almost impossible. Axelsson still has some solid hockey left in him and will be a bubble player for the Sweedish Olympic squad in 2010.

Axelsson had been approached by numerous teams including the Detroit Red Wings, but none of the teams were able to clear the kind of cap space needed to sign Ax.

Axelsson's agent said it wasn't out of the question that P.J. may make an NHL return to a contender and a run at the Stanley Cup in future years.