Filip Berglund Assigned To Linkoping HC

The Edmonton Oilers have assigned Filip Berglund to Linkoping HC of the Swedish Hockey League for the 2020-21 season, just a few months after signing him to an entry-level contract. Berglund inked his two-year deal in May, but will apparently spend the first season continuing his development in Sweden. The Oilers do retain the right to recall him, though the release did not indicate that he would be back for training camp.

Berglund, 23, was a third-round pick by the Oilers back in 2016 but hadn’t yet attempted to come to North America. Instead, he has played four seasons in the SHL, developing into a strong two-way defender with a chance to make an NHL impact one day.

The Oilers have done moves like this in the past. In 2018, they signed Joel Persson to a one-year contract only to immediately assign him back to the SHL. That burned the contract up, but gave them control as a restricted free agent over the young defenseman. The plan may be the same here with Berglund, who would have seen his draft rights expire had the Oilers not signed him by June 1.