Lucas Elvenes Claimed By Anaheim Ducks

Jan 11: Perhaps even more surprisingly, the Anaheim Ducks have actually claimed Elvenes, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. That would mean his contract will not be terminated and he will not be able to pursue an opportunity back in Sweden at this time.

Jan 10: In a surprising move, the Vegas Golden Knights have placed Lucas Elvenes on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Elvenes is in the final year of his entry-level contract and would have been a restricted free agent in the summer. This move will make him an unrestricted free agent, potentially opening a return to Sweden or another overseas league.

While contract terminations do happen from time to time, this one is surprising only because of Elvenes’ success in the minor leagues for the Golden Knights organization. Selected in the fifth round of the team’s inaugural draft, the Swedish forward eventually came to North America to make his debut in 2019. In 59 games as a rookie for the Chicago Wolves, he scored 48 points and went to the AHL All-Star Game.

In the years since Elvenes has racked up 34 points in 57 games, but just two of his 20 career AHL goals have come this season. Perhaps it’s that diminishing offensive performance that has him looking for a fresh start, or simply the fact that he hasn’t earned a single call-up to this point.

Now 22, Elvenes will still be a player to watch in the coming years even if he returns to Europe for the rest of this season. A successful SHL player even before he came to the Golden Knights organization, he will likely pique the interest of an NHL team down the road.