The Sharks are bringing Swedish center prospect Filip Bystedt to North America to finish out the 2023-24 campaign, assigning him to AHL San Jose on Monday. San Jose loaned him to Linköping HC of the Swedish Hockey League for the season after signing him to an entry-level contract last June.
Bystedt, 20, was the Sharks’ lone first-round pick in 2022, going to them at 27th overall after they traded down from 11th in a major pick swap with the Coyotes (Arizona drafted center prospect Conor Geekie with San Jose’s pick). The 6’4″ pivot checks in as the fourth-best prospect in the Sharks’ system in The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s organizational rankings after being crowned SHL Rookie of the Year in 2022-23. He was an important secondary fixture on a rather poor Linköping squad last year, notching seven goals and 20 points in 45 games.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t build on that production this year, finishing the SHL campaign with 17 points in 47 games. That’s despite Linköping being a much-improved squad overall, finishing above the .500 mark and making the SHL playoffs for the first time since 2018. He did represent Sweden at the World Juniors for a second straight season, where he notched three goals and an assist in seven games en route to a silver medal.
Bystedt’s European Assignment Clause in his ELC is only for this year, so he’ll likely play a full season in the minors with San Jose next year. Playoff hockey won’t be in the cards for him later this month – the Barracuda are tied for last place in the AHL with 53 points. However, he should factor into a few of San Jose’s eight remaining games and get a taste of playing in the Sharks’ organization. He’s an entry-level slide candidate, meaning that since he won’t see NHL action this year, the beginning of his ELC will defer to next season. As such, he’ll remain signed through 2027, at which point he’ll be an RFA.