Red Wings Prospect Pontus Andreasson Signs In Sweden
It will be one and done in North America for Red Wings prospect Pontus Andreasson. Lulea of the SHL announced that they’ve signed the forward to a four-year contract that runs through the 2026-27 campaign.
The 24-year-old signed a one-year deal with Detroit last May after a strong showing with Lulea, hoping that he’d be able to get an NHL opportunity. However, that chance never materialized aside from his five preseason appearances as Andreasson spent the entire regular season at the AHL level with Grand Rapids. He wound up finishing tied for sixth on the Griffins in scoring, picking up 12 goals and 13 assists in 63 games, numbers that weren’t exactly showing that he was ready for a look with the Red Wings.
Now, rather than see if he’d be offered a deal to return, Andreasson decided the best move for him was to lock in a long-term contract back home, certainly an understandable move. He had 18 goals and 20 assists in 52 games with Lulea in 2021-22 and should get an opportunity to play a bigger role there than he would have had in North America. Detroit can still issue Andreasson a qualifying offer this summer to retain his NHL rights but since he’ll be eligible for NHL unrestricted free agency by the time this deal expires, it’s quite likely they’ll simply non-tender him in June.
Pontus Andreasson, Filip Roos Linked To NHL
Two more undrafted free agents could soon be coming to North America, as Aftonbladet.se reports that Pontus Andreasson and Filip Roos have both agreed to entry-level contracts with NHL clubs. The Swedish news outlet notes that Andreasson has agreed to a deal with the Detroit Red Wings, while Roos is in agreement with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Andreasson, 23, has exploded onto the SHL scene this season, scoring 18 goals and 38 points in 52 games with Lulea HF. It’s his first season at the highest level after spending the last two in the Allsvenskan, and it seems as though it’s been enough to draw the interest of an NHL team. Undrafted, Andreasson’s development has been relatively unnoticed, given he was never involved in any international play at any level. An entry-level contract would be limited to just one year, as he turns 24 in August.
Roos, meanwhile, would be signing a two-year deal as he only turned 23 a few months ago. He too has burst onto the SHL scene after two years in the Allsvenskan and is playing regular minutes for Skelleftea AIK. The 6’3″ defenseman had only eight points in 50 regular season games, but did show a little more scoring upside last season at the lower level, when he racked up 28 points in 52 games. Similarly overlooked when it comes to international competition, Roos is also an undrafted prospect has been relatively under the radar to this point.
The SHL quarter-finals get underway tomorrow, meaning contracts for both players would have to wait until after their team is eliminated or win the championship.