Today’s newest move isn’t an extension, like the three that have already been announced, but a prospect signing. The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they have signed prospect forward Filip Cederqvist to a two-year entry-level contract.
Cederqvist, who turns 22 in August, was the Sabres’ fifth-round pick in 2019. He was a bright spot in an otherwise dark season for Djurgardens in the SHL, scoring 14 goals and 32 points in 49 games, which was good for second on the team behind former NHL-er Marcus Sorensen. Cederqvist’s impressive 2021-2022 season comes off the back of a strong 2020-2021 campaign, where he scored nine goals and 36 points in 51 games for Tingsryds AIF in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan.
Cederqvist will join the Sabres this fall with the hope of winning a spot on their opening-night lineup. The newly-changed NHL-SHL agreement stipulates that prospects drafted outside of the first round have to be older than 24 to be sent to the AHL, so Djurgardens being relegated from the SHL might actually end up being a positive for Cederqvist. The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports that Cederqvist will be eligible to play for Rochester next season. So Cederqvist will in all likelihood join Rochester later this year with the hopes of continuing the development he’s shown for the past two seasons, with his eye on ultimately making the NHL roster in Buffalo.
Cederqvist signed a contract with Leksands IF of the SHL back in April for the coming season so he will probably have to be loaned back there.