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Sweden Announces 2023 World Championship Roster

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Sweden has revealed its roster for the upcoming 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, and it’s filled with an impressive mix of NHL players, high-end SHL players, and young prospects. The team is hoping to bring in Sweden’s first medal at the tournament since winning back-to-back golds in 2017 and 2018.

Headlining the roster are some prominent NHLers, including seasoned veteran Jakob Silfverberg and younger players like Lucas Raymond, Jonatan Berggren, and Fabian Zetterlund. For Silfverberg, who’s rumored to return to Sweden after his current contract with the Anaheim Ducks expires, this is his first appearance at the Worlds in over a decade. There’s also top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Leo Carlsson, who could see his name called as early as third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets after spending the entire season up in the SHL with Örebro HK.

On the blue line, Sweden is led by a pair of longtime NHLers in Christian Folin and Patrik Nemeth, but their best defender is undoubtedly Washington Capitals youngster Rasmus Sandin. Others, such as three-time Swiss league defenseman of the year Henrik Tömmernes, provide some valuable depth.

In net, Sweden will be relying on a trio of capable goaltenders led by one of the best prospects in the world – Jesper Wallstedt. The Minnesota Wild prospect posted a .908 save percentage in 38 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and put up a .940 mark in international play for Sweden last year at the World Junior Championship. If Wallstedt doesn’t run away with the crease, there’s a high-end second option in SHL and KHL veteran Lars Johansson, who recorded a sparkling .958 save percentage for Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The full roster can be found below:

F Pär Lindholm
F Dennis Everberg
F Marcus Sorensen
F Andre Petersson
F Leo Carlsson
F Lucas Raymond
F Oscar Lindberg
F Jakob Silfverberg
F Jonatan Berggren
F Fabian Zetterlund
F Linus Johansson
F Carl Grundström
F Jacob de La Rose
F Alexander Nylander

D Christian Folin
D Henrik Tömmernes
D Patrik Nemeth
D Lukas Bengtsson
D Rasmus Sandin
D Anton Lindholm
D Jonathan Pudas
D Joel Persson

G Jesper Wallstedt
G Lars Johansson
G Jacob Johansson

 

Florida Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich

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Forward prospect Mackie Samoskevich has agreed to terms with the Florida Panthers on a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday. Florida selected Samoskevich, 20, with the 24th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.

PuckPedia provided the terms of Samoskevich’s deal, which begins immediately with a $925,000 cap hit and expires after the 2024-25 season. At that point, he’ll be a restricted free agent. Given Samoskevich was on Florida’s reserve list at the time of the trade deadline, he is now eligible to play in any remaining Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Panthers.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito offered the following statement on the signing:

Mackie is a creative, dynamic playmaker who possesses an elite shooting ability and high hockey IQ. We’re excited to sign him to our organization and to see him take the next step in his progression as a professional.

The Connecticut-born Samoskevich comes from quite the hockey family, with sisters Maddy Samoskevich and Melissa Samoskevich putting up impressive numbers in their collegiate careers with Quinnipiac. Melissa Samoskevich had a breakout pro season for the PHF’s Connecticut Whale in 2022-23, scoring 16 points in 24 games.

Their brother opted to play his college hockey at the University of Michigan, though, where he reached the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in back-to-back seasons. Samoskevich opted to turn pro at the end of Michigan’s season, signing a professional tryout agreement with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. There, he registered six assists in nine combined regular-season and playoff games, a strong start to a promising career.

Samoskevich was named to the Big 10 conference’s all-rookie team after the 2021-22 campaign after he registered 29 points in 40 games. He left those offensive totals in the dust this season, though, with 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games for Michigan.

He also represented the United States at the 2022 Men’s World Junior Championship, recording three assists in five games.

Boston Bruins Sign Matthew Poitras To ELC

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The Boston Bruins have signed forward Matthew Poitras to a three-year entry-level contract starting next season with a cap hit of $870,000, the team announced today.

Poitras, 19, is coming off a wildly successful season with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, where he recorded 95 points (16 goals, 79 assists) in 63 games. He ranked second in the league in assists and was tied for fifth in scoring.

Poitras also had a productive rookie season with Guelph in 2021-22, tallying 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 68 games. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward was selected by the Bruins in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Born in Brooklin, Ontario, Poitras is an incredibly cerebral center that plays a surgical game, identifying small gaps in the ice to escape defenders and make passes. It’s a style that tracks to translate well to NHL ice, where Poitras will have much less space and time to maneuver around the rink.

Poitras has only played two seasons of junior hockey, however, with his rookie campaign stripped due to the COVID pandemic. In all likelihood, he’s headed back to Guelph for another season of OHL hockey, looking to potentially surpass the 100-point mark in a single season. He would be the first Storm player to do so since Nate Schnarr in 2018-19.

Poitras’ contract is eligible for an entry-level slide due to his age, meaning if he plays less than 10 NHL games next season, the beginning of his contract will defer to the 2024-25 season.

Ottawa Senators Sign Jiří Smejkal To Entry-Level Contract

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The Ottawa Senators announced the signing of undrafted Czech forward Jiří Smejkal to a one-year, entry-level contract Friday morning. The 26-year-old, who spent the last seven seasons playing in top professional leagues around Europe, brings an intriguing mix of size and skill to the Senators organization.

Smejkal, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 223 pounds, could crack the Senators’ bottom six out of training camp next season. In the release announcing the news, general manager Pierre Dorion expressed excitement about the impact Smejkal could have on the team.

Jiří’s signing is a good addition for us; it improves our depth and provides us with an additional bottom-six option at forward. He’s a big body who’s strong with previous experience playing in North America which should help his transition to a rink with smaller dimensions. We’re pleased that he’s committed to the Senators for the next step in his career.

The North American experience Dorion is referencing came in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, when Smejkal played junior hockey with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and Kamloops Blazers. In 130 games, he recorded 17 goals and 42 assists for 59 points, 102 penalty minutes, and a -25 rating.

In the past two seasons, Smekjal was a standout performer in the Finnish Liiga with Pelicans and in the SHL with IK Oskarshamn, where he recorded a combined 48 goals and 40 assists for 93 points across the two leagues. He also represented Czechia at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championships, registering three goals and four assists in 18 games.

While Smejkal’s recent goal-scoring production is impressive, his size and physicality could be even more valuable to the Senators in a checking role. With his ability to play a power-forward style of game, he could provide a needed presence in front of the net and in board battles. His point production overseas suggests he’ll bring enough offensive IQ to avoid being a liability on the ice.

Smejkal, who can play left wing and center, is a classic low-risk, high-reward acquisition, especially at a one-year term. Per CapFriendly, Smejkal will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Detroit Red Wings Prospect Albin Grewe Likely To Become Free Agent

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Detroit Red Wings forward prospect Albin Grewe has signed a two-year contract with Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish second-tier league, HockeyAllvenskan; the team announced this morning. With Grewe’s exclusive draft rights set to expire on June 1, 2023, the news likely means Grewe will not be signing an entry-level contract with Detroit and will be a free agent when and if he does decide to come to North America.

Grewe, a 22-year-old who can play both wings, was selected in the third round (66th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft by Detroit after a season where he racked up over a point per game and over 100 penalty minutes in just 25 Swedish junior games, also representing Sweden at the U18 Men’s World Junior Championship. In 2020-21, Grewe appeared in 11 games with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on a tryout contract at the end of the season, registering two assists.

Upon expiration of his contract with Djurgården in 2025, Grewe will be able to sign an entry-level contract with any NHL team if there’s interest. Grewe previously spent five years in the Djurgården organization between 2016 and 2021 before bouncing around between the Allsvenkan’s Mora IK and the Liiga’s Ilves over the past two seasons.

Grewe’s offensive production has been inconsistent since his draft year, but the 2022-23 season was especially tough. He registered 11 points in 41 games with Mora IK, a step back from his previous season, and hasn’t been able to display a consistent development track since his draft year.

San Jose Sharks Sign Georgi Romanov

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May 3: The Sharks have made the signing official, confirming the two-year length. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

May 2: It appears the San Jose Sharks are making an early splash in the undrafted free-agent market. Per a report from Russian outlet Sport Express, the Sharks have signed goaltender Georgi Romanov to a two-year entry-level contract.

Romanov, 23, certainly has the size NHL teams desire. At 6-foot-5 and 207 pounds, there are few netminders who fill out the crease more than Romanov.

Developed in the Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg system, Romanov has been the starter for consecutive seasons for Gornyak-UGMK, Yekaterinburg’s affiliate in the Russian minors (VHL). While his save percentages have dipped slightly since, Romanov had marks of at least .930 in the VHL and juniors (MHL) between 2019 and 2021.

While the Sharks have both James Reimer and Aaron Dell as free agents this summer, they still boast solid organizational depth for goaltenders, at least among prospects. Romanov would become the fourth goalie under the age of 25 signed to an NHL contract by San Jose, with two other drafted prospects under the age of 21. It leaves 26-year-old Kaapo Kähkönen as the resident veteran in the San Jose crease, a position they’re expected to fill out more in free agency unless they opt for an untested youngster in the backup role to an inconsistent Kähkönen.

Assuming the report relayed by Sport Express from Romanov’s agent is true, he would become a restricted free agent in 2025.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Aku Räty To Entry-Level Contract

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The Arizona Coyotes and forward prospect Aku Räty agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract today, the team announced. PuckPedia reports the structure of the deal is as follows:

2023-24: $775,000 base salary, $92,500 signing bonus, $57,500 games played bonus, $70,000 minors salary
2024-25: $832,500 base salary, $92,500 signing bonus, $70,000 minors salary

The deal carries a cap hit of $896,000.

Räty, the older brother of Vancouver Canucks prospect Aatu Räty, was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Coyotes. The 21-year-old winger has produced above his weight in terms of his draft position the past two years in Finland, though, and is one of the more underrated prospects in the Arizona system.

After multiple seasons with the Kärpät organization in Finland, a transfer to Ilves for 2022-23 made all the difference for Räty’s development. In 53 Liiga games, Räty set professional career highs with 18 goals, 24 assists, 42 points, and a +26 rating.

Räty was set to become an unrestricted free agent on June 1 if the Coyotes did not sign him. Arizona has four other prospects from the 2019 and 2021 draft classes that will become UFAs if they’re not signed within the next month, which PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan expects will head to market.

The Oulo-born winger has good size at 6 feet and 187 pounds, and the first thing you’ll notice upon viewing is his tenacious forecheck. Räty has one of the best work ethics among young players in the Liiga.

It makes him a bit of a unique prospect in the Coyotes system, and the team does have recent success in developing Finnish talents, especially from Ilves (see Matias Maccelli). It’s unclear whether Räty will report to North America next season, however, or stay in Finland on loan.

Arizona returned Maccelli to Ilves on loan for the first year of his entry-level contract, however, it was during the COVID-affected 2020-21 campaign.

New York Islanders Sign Matthew Maggio

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The New York Islanders have inked an intriguing prospect, signing forward Matthew Maggio to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday. Per CapFriendly, the contract carries a cap hit of $870,000, with a base salary of $775,000, a signing bonus of $95,000, and potential performance bonuses of $80,000 in all three seasons.

The Islanders selected Maggio, 20, in the fifth round, 142nd overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft as an over-age player. The Windsor, Ontario, product spent the 2022-23 season with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, where he led the league in goals (54) and points (111) in 66 games.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, Maggio is an extremely tenacious winger who’s somewhat unexpectedly developed elite point-production ability during his latter years in junior hockey. While the delayed increase in offense in his junior career raises questions about his ultimate ceiling in the NHL, he’s shown the tools to become a good depth scoring option.

He’ll need another few seasons in the minors before getting some extended NHL looks, and he’s expected to play next season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Maggio had two assists in three games with Bridgeport to close out the 2022-23 season after signing an amateur tryout contract.

With the Islanders not having much to boast about in their current prospect pool, Maggio could be a potential highlight of their current crop of young players.

Washington Capitals Sign Ivan Miroshnichenko

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The Washington Capitals have gotten one of their best prospects under contract, announcing the signing of forward Ivan Miroshnichenko to a three-year entry-level contract. Miroshnichenko will earn $855,000 in the NHL and $82,500 in the AHL per season over the course of his deal, which makes him a restricted free agent in 2026.

For Miroshnichenko, this is certainly a mountaintop moment. The young forward was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma before draft day last year, but was cleared to return to training before the draft and played a full, healthy season of hockey in 2022-23.

He had a tough postseason run in Russian juniors, but did notch 14 points in 12 games with the MHL’s Omskie Yastreby during the regular season. He also spent 23 games with Avanagard Omsk in the KHL, earning four points.

He’s destined for a prominent role on the AHL’s Hershey Bears next season, continuing his development as one of the brightest spots in a weak pool of Capitals prospects. Miroshnichenko was drafted 20th overall in 2022.

A power winger with good instincts, Miroshnichenko stands 6-foot-1 and 194 pounds and should ideally put up 30-40 points if he plays the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL without any health issues. It may not be time to call him up to the NHL roster just yet, but it’s a huge step in Miroshnichenko’s development to get this far.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Nikita Chibrikov To Entry-Level Contract

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The Winnipeg Jets signed forward Nikita Chibrikov to a three-year, entry-level contract Monday, per a team release. Chibrikov’s contract will begin in 2023-24 and carry a cap hit of $925,000. Chibrikov has also signed a professional tryout contract with the Jets’ AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, and he’ll join the team as they continue their play in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Winnipeg drafted Chibrikov, 20, with the 50th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. His development path since hasn’t been smooth, failing to secure extended playing time in any league in Russia. The constant shuttling between levels has stunted Chibrikov’s offensive development, with his point production today not dissimilar to his production during his draft year.

It makes the timing of the signing significant. With Chibrikov now under Winnipeg’s control, he’ll remain in North America next season and see extended time with the Moose, allowing him to play in an organization solely focused on his development.

He played most of this past season with Spartak Moskva in the KHL, recording just two points in 31 games with a very limited role. His game revolves around speed and skill, something he’ll have more opportunity to showcase with more minutes in the AHL.

Chibrikov will be a restricted free agent in 2026.

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