Top Wild forward prospect Liam Öhgren has arrived in North America and will be assigned to finish the season with AHL Iowa in the coming days, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
Öhgren, 20, was the 19th overall selection in the 2022 draft and is a consensus top-three prospect in the Minnesota system alongside netminder Jesper Wallstedt and Russian winger Danila Yurov. He signed his entry-level contract shortly after being drafted but has been loaned out to the Swedish pro circuit in back-to-back seasons, sliding the start of the deal to 2024-25.
This season was Öhgren’s first playing full-time in the top-level Swedish Hockey League, although injuries limited him to 26 games with Färjestad BK. His season came to an end last week after they were swept in the SHL quarterfinals by Rögle. The gifted sniper put his talents on full display, scoring 12 goals and 19 points, ranking second on the team in goals per game. He was one of the most explosive scorers in junior hockey during his draft season, lighting the lamp 33 times in 30 games with Djůrgardens’ U-20 club.
In all likelihood, the Stockholm native has played his last game in Sweden. He’ll likely start next season with Iowa to become more acclimated to the North American game, especially after missing such a large chunk of 2023-24, but he is a sure bet to at least see a handful of NHL contests. He’s unlikely to see any postseason action with Iowa to close out this year, as they’re seven points out of a playoff spot in the AHL’s Central Division with eight games remaining. His ELC will expire in 2027.