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Jacob Josefson

Snapshots: Kuznetsov, Kings, Josefson

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Veteran center Evgeny Kuznetsov remains unsigned for the upcoming season.  After signing a four-year deal in the KHL last summer with SKA St. Petersburg, the agreement was terminated a few months ago with the veteran looking to return to the NHL.  Speaking with SovSport’s Vladimir Okishev, Kuznetsov’s agent Shumi Babayev said that there is a 90% chance that his client will sign with an NHL team.  The 33-year-old was once a true top-line middleman in the NHL but his last season in the league in 2023-24 saw him struggle with more of a limited role as he notched just 24 points in 63 games between Washington and Carolina.  Still, in a free agent market that is largely bereft of centers at this point, he could be worth a low-cost flyer in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider provides an inside look at how the Kings operated during the draft. At one point, they looked into a trade-up scenario from their original slot of 24 before moving down which was their original plan leading into the night.  However, with just two of their preferred selections on the board when they dealt down to 31, they looked at trading back up after moving down to ensure they’d get Henry Brzustewicz.  However, they ultimately were able to get him as planned where they were.  Dooley’s piece also discusses their activity on the second day, including the trade of defenseman Jordan Spence to Ottawa.
  • After having to retire following the 2020-21 season due to concussion trouble, former first-round pick Jacob Josefson is attempting a comeback at the age of 34, recently speaking with Expressen in Sweden (video link) about his efforts. Josefson spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL, seven of which came with New Jersey who picked him 20th overall back in 2009.  He opted to return home to play in the SHL back in 2018 and spent three seasons with Djurgarden before having to hang up his skates.  His attempt to make a comeback kicked off with that same team in a preseason game on Friday.

Overseas Notes: Sorensen, Josefson, AIK

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2020-21 was a season to forget for Marcus Sorensen. After recording 30 points in 80 games in 2018-19, Sorensen looked like he was emerging as a two-way threat for the San Jose Sharks. However, he followed that up with only 18 points and a -12 rating in 66 games in 2019-20. Sorensen was looking to get back on track this past season, but instead the decline continued. Sorensen recorded just five points and was a minus player yet again in 29 games with the Sharks. Unsurprisingly, it has been a quiet summer on the NHL market for Sorensen. However, he may have found a good option back home in Sweden. Swedish source Afton Bladet reports that the SHL’s Djurgardens IF is closing in on signing Sorensen to a long-term deal. The 29-year-old has been offered a four-year contract worth $12MM Krona ($1.44MM US). Sorensen was a prolific scorer for Djurgardens for several years before leaving for the NHL and the club hopes he still has gas left in the tank.

  • Fueling the pursuit of Sorenson is the indefinite loss of former NHLer Jacob Josefson from the Djurgardens roster. Afton Bladet notes that Josefson has been struggling with post-concussion symptoms since this past spring and that a recent resurgence has sidelined him without any certain timeline for a return. Josefson, 30, has been Djurgardens’ captain for the past four years since leaving the NHL, not to mention one of their best players. If he isn’t available this season, Sorensen will be asked to step in and take on that leading role. The hope is that Josefson, who played eight seasons in the NHL with New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, will be back on the ice before too long.
  • Elsewhere in Sweden, the Allsvenskan’s AIK is loading up with NHL prospect talent. On consecutive days, he club has announced loan agreements to bring in standouts from the 2020 NHL Draft for the upcoming season. Winnipeg Jets second-round pick Daniel Torgersson is on his way from Frolunda HC, while Anaheim Ducks fourth-rounder Thimo Nickl arrives from Rogle BK. Torgersson, a big power forward, was nearly a point per game player at the junior level last year and played briefly in the SHL. Nickl, a rangy, two-way defenseman, played in the QMJHL two years ago and held his own in the pros this past season between the SHL and Allsvenskan. The 19-year-olds will provide a major boost to AIK before they potentially look to join their respective NHL teams next year.

Jacob Josefson Signs Four-Year Deal In SHL

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Rumored all month to be considering a return to Sweden, Jacob Josefson is heading home. The Buffalo Sabres forward and pending unrestricted free agent has signed a four-year contract with Djurgarden of the SHL, leaving North America after eight years in the NHL.

Josefson came to the Sabres through free agency after going unqualified by the New Jersey Devils last summer, and just wasn’t able to put it together. A first-round pick from 2009, he never fulfilled his promise of a two-way center capable of playing tough minutes. Instead, Josefson struggled to find a full-time role in the NHL, playing in more than 60 games just once in eight seasons. With 64 points in 315 games, there was a good chance he’d go without a one-way contract offer this summer.

The Sabres have several other unrestricted free agents to make decisions on in the coming weeks, with Benoit Pouliot, Jordan Nolan, Josh Gorges, Justin Falk and Chad Johnson all set to hit the open market. It’s quite possible that none of the group is back next year, as the team looks to younger players to fill the gaps in the roster. The team certainly has enough cap room to make a big splash if they so choose, with nearly $25MM of space depending on where the cap ceiling lands. Should they land the first-overall pick tomorrow night, perhaps they will attempt to kickstart their contention by adding some support for Jack Eichel and company on July 1st.

Jacob Josefson Could Return To Sweden

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When you’re an impending free agent on the league’s worst team, you think about your future a lot. When you’re an under-utilized and ineffective member of the league’s worst team, you begin to consider the limits on that future. Such is the case for Buffalo forward Jacob Josefson. With four points in 39 games for the Sabres, who hold a measly 25-42-12 record with three games remaining in the season, Josefson has been a non-factor for a team that has been begging for someone to break out all season long. Now, it seems that Josefson has recognized his ceiling as a professional hockey player and may return home to Sweden this off-season to continue his career.

Josefson, 27, was once a promising young player in the NHL. Drafted in the first round in 2009 by the New Jersey Devils out of Djurgardens of the Swedish Hockey League, Josefson made the jump overseas in 2010 and recorded ten points in 28 games as a rookie. Josefson continued as a part-time player until 2014-15 when he would play 62 games with the Devils. He followed that up with a career-high 14 points in 2015-16. Yet, that campaign also came with a —21 rating. Frustrated that Josefson was nowhere close to the caliber of player they expected out of a first-rounder, New Jersey allowed him to walk in free agency last summer. The best deal that Josefson could scrounge up was a one-year, $700K contract with the Sabres. After another disappointing season, opportunities in the NHL are running out for the underwhelming two-way forward.

Yet, a new opportunity could be emerging with his old Swedish squad. Sweden’s Hockey News reports (link in Swedish) that Djurgardens has reached out to Josefson, a “dream acquisition”, and he is considering a return to where it all began. Josefson was a far more dynamic player as a teenager in Sweden than he ever was at any level in North America and would return home to much fanfare from his former team. However, if Josefson bails on the NHL this off-season, especially if there are offers out there, it would more than likely mark the end of his NHL career.

Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Mittelstadt, Josefson, Zaitsev

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As the Bruins continue to work their way up in the Atlantic Division, they’re looking to add a top-six center or a top-four defenseman, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on an NHL Network appearance (video link).  However, they are telling teams that they are unwilling to move their top prospects in any deal.  That will take away several of their top trade chips although they could conceivably still move future draft picks to get a deal done.  Given GM Don Sweeney’s patience for building the team up slowly but steadily though, it be may be more prudent to expect a smaller deal, similar to their acquisition of Drew Stafford at the deadline last year, over a bigger one.

More from the Atlantic:

  • The Sabres will speak to top prospect Casey Mittelstadt following his college season to see if it’s the right time for him to turn pro and sign his entry-level deal, notes John Wawrow of the Associated Press. The 2017 eighth overall pick is coming off a stellar World Junior tournament that saw him tie for the overall lead in scoring and has some wondering if he may be NHL ready sooner than later.  While they will meet in the coming months, GM Jason Botterill suggested to Wawrow that it may be a while yet before he finds himself lining up alongside Jack Eichel, perhaps a sign that he would like to see Mittelstadt wait a little longer before signing.
  • Still with Buffalo, head coach Phil Housley told Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald that center Jacob Josefson has been listed as day-to-day with a lower-body issue. The injury was sustained while blocking a shot on Tuesday night against the Jets.  The 26-year-old hasn’t thrived in his first season with the Sabres, collecting just four points in 19 games while spending considerable time out of the lineup due to ankle issues.
  • Maple Leafs defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is still another two-to-three weeks away from returning, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link). That puts him a little behind his last projected return date which was January 16th, their first game back following their bye week.  Zaitsev quietly leads all Toronto blueliners in ice time per game, averaging just under 23 minutes per night and will give them a big boost once he gets the green light to return.

Buffalo Sabres Receiving Calls On Multiple Players

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Though Evander Kane is clearly the one to watch—especially after yesterday’s report that the Pittsburgh Penguins were interested in him—the Buffalo Sabres have several players who could have different crests on their sweaters over the next few weeks. Craig Custance, in his Trade Deadline Primer for The Athletic, reports that the Sabres are also receiving interest in Benoit Pouliot, Johan Larsson and Jacob Josefson.

Pouliot has long been expected to make a big impact in the league, but after his latest disappointing season in Edmonton was bought out in the summer. Buffalo jumped on the chance to bring in the fourth-overall pick from 2005, and signed him to a one-year $1.15MM contract on July 1st. Pouliot has been better than last season, with 11 points in 39 games, but that’s not saying much. The 31-year old has been killing penalties for the Sabres, and still brings fine possession numbers, but there isn’t a lot to be excited about even with his relatively low salary.

Larsson and Josefson bring much of the same, just in younger bodies. With six and three points respectively, neither is going to change the offensive outlook of an acquiring team. What they can do, is give you responsible minutes on the fourth line and penalty kill, while providing some depth down the middle. Both can play center reasonably well, though neither are very good in the faceoff dot.

In all, every player not named Jack Eichel is likely available for the right price in Buffalo. The problem is there isn’t a lot of value in many of them, because of either poor performance, age or salary. Kane remains their big chip to make a splash at the deadline, but expect them to be very busy selling off smaller pieces over the next few weeks.

Injury Notes: Spurgeon, Devils, Matthews, Couture, Josefson, McQuaid

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The Minnesota Wild activated defenseman Jared Spurgeon today off of injured reserve and is expected to play tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required). Spurgeon had been rumored to be returning after having missed nine games with a groin injury. The team had already sent defenseman Ryan Murphy back to Iowa yesterday to make room for Spurgeon.

The 28-year-old blueliner has three goals and 12 assists in 23 games this year. He is not expected to rejoin partner Ryan Suter right away, however. Mathew Dumba filled in for Spurgeon while he was out and the combination of Suter and Dumba has worked well for the Wild as Dumba’s play has improved since the change.

  • The New Jersey Devils are closing in on being fully healthy, according to northjersey.com’s Andrew Gross. Both Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri are expected to play in Monday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. Hall has missed the past two games with a knee contusion, while Palmieri will be activated off of injured reserve after missing 12 games with a broken right foot. There is also a possibility, although Gross said it’s slim, that winger Marcus Johansson could also play Monday after missing three games with an ankle bruise. If not, then he will be expected to return on Thursday against the New York Rangers. All three players practiced Sunday.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews (possible concussion) is starting to slowly work his way back. The 20-year-old center skated for 20 minutes Sunday, but did not practice with the team, according to TSN’s Kristen Shilton. She added that coach Mike Babcock is not sure when he’ll be able to play, but added there are no plans to shut him down for a stretch either.
  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz tweets that San Jose Sharks leading scorer Logan Couture will miss Monday’s game against Edmonton at minimum after sustaining a head injury in Friday’s game against Vancouver. The Mercury News’ Paul Gackle tweets that head coach Peter DeBoer confirmed Couture suffered a concussion and remains day-to-day. In a separate story, Gackle writes the team will be in trouble if Couture injury keeps him out of the lineup for an extended period of time.
  • NHL.com’s Jourdon LaBarber writes that Buffalo Sabres center Jacob Josefson practiced today with the team and hopes to be ready to play soon after missing 24 games with an ankle injury. Josefson did attempt to come back on Nov. 22 and played two games before re-injuring his ankle. The 26-year-old has only managed to play in nine games for Buffalo after signing a one-year, $700K deal in the offseason. Coach Phil Housley said he will be re-evaluated on Monday. Josefson has one goal and one assist in the nine games he’s played in.
  • Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid might be ready as soon as Monday from a broken fibula he suffered on Oct. 19, according to NHL.com’s Michael Tolvo. The veteran has missed 24 games since then. “I don’t know if Monday he’ll be cleared, but he is close,” added head coach Bruce Cassidy. “He is getting close. He has practiced with us, so it is imminent for him. I just don’t want to pinpoint an exact date.”

 

Snapshots: Three Stars, Josefson, Mason

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The NHL has released their three stars of the week, and leading the list is Jon Marchessault. The Vegas Golden Knights forward had nine points in three games, helping his team takeover first place in the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights now sit at 15-6-1 this season, and rank third in the entire NHL in goal differential at +15. Marchessault, a 30-goal scorer last season, is once again turning out to be one of the biggest bargains in the entire league. At just $750K this season, he’s primed for quite the raise in free agency at the end of the year.

Sergei Bobrovsky and Alex Ovechkin round out the top three after impressive weeks of their own. Bobrovsky went 3-0 with a .950 save percentage with the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Ovechkin tallied five more goals including a hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a special guest looking on. Ovechkin, who many said was slowing down last season when he scored “just” 33 goals, is back on top of the NHL leaderboards with 18 this season. With the first goal of the hat trick, Ovechkin passed Mike Bossy for 21st all-time in NHL goal scoring, and has a legitimate shot at breaking 600 this season. He needs just 24 more to 20th member of the 600 club, and won’t turn 33 until next September.

  • Jacob Josefson had only returned to the Buffalo Sabres lineup recently, but will be out another four to six weeks according to head coach Phil Housley. Josefson tweaked his ankle and is out until at least Christmas for the struggling Sabres, who are now just one point ahead of the Arizona Coyotes for last in the entire league. Obviously, Josefson isn’t a huge part of their lineup but any injury at this point pushes Buffalo further away from any rebound this season. The team has a dreadful schedule over the next week, playing the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow before taking on Pittsburgh in a home-and-home series this weekend.
  • Steve Mason was removed from Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, and today Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice confirmed the injury was a concussion. Mason had been placed on injured reserve earlier today after a recall of Eric Comrie. Signed in the offseason to a two-year, $8.2MM contract, Mason has provided below-average netminding so far for the Jets and had been all but replaced by Connor Hellebuyck as the starter. It’ll be tough to justify his $4.1MM contract next season if he remains a backup, especially given that Hellebuyck is a restricted free agent and looks primed for a long-term deal. If Mason doesn’t turn his play around after returning from this head injury, he could be an early candidate for a summer buyout. First off, he’ll have to get healthy enough to return.

Sabres Place Gorges On IR, Recall Redmond

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The struggling Sabres continue to take hits. At 1-5-2, Buffalo is no longer win-less like the Arizona Coyotes, neither are they the worst team even in the Atlantic, having passed up the Montreal Canadiens. However, four points in eight games is nothing to write home about and now the injuries are starting to pile up. Zach Bogosian doesn’t appear to be close to a comeback, and the team recently recalled Taylor Fedun with Jacob Josefson also sidelined. The latest addition: veteran defenseman Josh Gorges, who the team placed on injured reserve this morning.

While the team did not specifically address what is ailing Gorges in the press release, a recent article by Buffalo News’ John Vogl updated the injury statuses of several players, including Bogosian, Josefson, another downed defender Justin Falk, and yet another concern, banged up forward Zemgus Girgensons. In the piece, Vogl asks coach Phil Housley about Gorges’ condition, which the bench boss describes as a “lower-body injury”. While this is not much to go off of, more details can be expected the longer that Gorges’ absence lasts.

In the meantime, Buffalo has recalled defenseman Zach Redmond from Rochester of the AHL. Redmond was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens earlier this month for Nicolas Deslauriers and will make his Sabres debut should he get into one of their upcoming games, perhaps even tonight against the Boston Bruins. While by any metric Redmond is a replacement-level player, his 16 games with the Canadiens last season was a bit of an outlier compared to his recent experience. Redmond played a semi-regular role for the Colorado Avalanche in 2014-15 and 2015-16, skating in 59 and 37 games respectively and posting a total of 26 points and a 115 blocked shots. Redmond is capable of stepping up and being a reliable man on the back end for Buffalo – and they need it. The Sabres currently rank 29th in points percentage and goal differential and are on a course for another disappointing season. Gorges has undeniably lost a step in recent years; perhaps Redmond can be the surprise catalyst in his place that gets the Buffalo blue line back in shape.

Buffalo Sabres Recall Taylor Fedun

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After it was announced yesterday that the Buffalo Sabres would be without Jacob Josefson for weeks, the team has placed him on injured reserve. In his absence, the Sabres recalled Taylor Fedun from Rochester to serve as another option on defense. Josh Gorges was also missing from practice today, leaving the team with just six healthy defensemen prior to Fedun’s promotion.

The 29-year old Fedun actually played 27 games for the Sabres last season, recording seven points and 16 penalty minutes. The undrafted Princeton grad has carved out quite the professional career for himself, as a big part of several AHL teams. He’s bred from the new NHL, relying on his mobility more than strength to help him at both ends of the rink.

Buffalo knew that he’d be one of their first recalls in case of injury, signing him to a new two-year, two-way contract just before he hit free agency. While he’s unlikely to make much of a full-time impact for the Sabres, knowing that they can call him up to jump into the lineup provides a nice amount of depth. He will however need to clear waivers to go back down to Rochester once Gorges or Justin Falk get healthy.

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