Sep 6: Vaxjo has officially announced the contract, welcoming Halbgewachs to the SHL.
Sep 5: A few days ago, reports emerged linking former San Jose Sharks forward Jayden Halbgewachs to MODO, a team in the Swedish second league. Today, new information has come out linking him to the Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL, instead. It appears, according to Expressen, that both teams were interested but the free agent decided to go with the higher-level club.
Halbgewachs, 25, qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer after only playing three games with the Sharks through the early part of his career. An undrafted signing out of the WHL in 2017 (where he scored 70 goals in 72 games during the 2017-18 season), he has played four years in the minor leagues, recording solid (but not incredible) point totals with the San Jose Barracuda. In his three games with the Sharks, he did record an assist but failed to notch his first NHL goal.
Sometimes, players go overseas for a bigger opportunity and to show that they are more than just minor league talent. If he can dominate the Swedish league, perhaps another NHL team takes a chance on him down the road. For now, though, it appears as though Halbgewachs will be off the North American grid, meaning it’s just more development resources from San Jose that didn’t result in much value.
Wasn’t a Halbgewachs a character in the Harry Potter books? :D
@Gbear – The ill-fated guy that tried to use his magic wand as a Shillelagh, impersonating a suspect 4th-line Irish enforcer? Yep, I think that’s the same one. :)
I knew I remembered that character! :D
@Gbear – Burkie almost drafted him – he just oozed truculence, but was too much of a loose cannon. :)