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Minor Transactions: 09/14/21

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The late off-season is certainly not a time known for big moves in the NHL, but behind the scenes there are a number of players making very difficult decisions as the season draws near. Sometimes the summer has not turned out how they expected an a tough call must be made on a new direction. Other times a long-considered decision reaches a head and a player must make a leap. Whatever the situation, don’t miss out on minor yet notable moves still occuring as we approach the beginning of training camps and preseason action:

  • Liam Kirk 2.0? As one Brit gets ready for his first pro season in North America, another is about to make the jump to the top of the junior ranks. The U.K. is a rare spot for hockey talent, which is why Kirk’s draft selection and upcoming campaign with the Arizona Coyotes has drawn so much attention. Now, Alex Graham is hoping to follow in his footsteps. Despite playing almost exclusively in England thus far in his young career, Graham drew the attention of at least one Canadian junior team as he was selected by the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs in the second round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft. Today Niagara announced that Graham has signed on with the team and will make his North American debut this season. While much is still unknown about Graham, the 18-year-old has produced in the U.K. and certainly has appealing size. There is still time for him to show what he can do and draw some NHL Draft interest over the next year or two.
  • Blake Hillman will be back in the ECHL next season, signing a one-year deal with the Toledo Walleye. A cautionary tale for college players, Hillman left the University of Denver a year early to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018. The defenseman even burned the first season of his two-year ELC that spring, playing in four games with Chicago. A disappointing AHL season later, Hillman was off an NHL contract and could not even contend for an AHL pact and seemingly remains in the same situation now. The two-way blue liner likely could have used that extra year of development in the NCAA before he was thrown into the flames of the pro game.
  • Former AHL defenseman and long-time Swedish standout Sebastian Erixon has decided to call it a career at just 32. The talented but oft-injured defenseman has had an up-and-down career but excelled when healthy, both in the SHL and in a 2011-12 season spent with the Chicago Wolves. However, the injuries have become too much and forced the Farjestad captain into early retirement, the team announced. Erixon’s is a career with plenty of what-ifs, as he flashed NHL talent over a solid career in Sweden but could never string together enough top-notch, healthy seasons to make himself a legitimate contract candidate.

Marcus Sorensen Signs In Sweden

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Former San Jose Sharks forward Marcus Sorensen has chosen to continue his hockey career overseas. Sorensen has signed a four-year contract with Djurgardens IF in the SHL, per Swedish outlet Telgenytt, meaning that Sorensen likely won’t be returning to the NHL anytime soon.

Sorensen returns to his native Sweden after a five-year NHL career which saw him tally 31 goals and 64 points in 226 games, all in a San Jose Sharks uniform. Originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2010, the now 29-year-old forward never signed with Ottawa and instead signed his entry-level deal with San Jose on May 13, 2016. He played in the NHL right away as a 24-year-old at the time, scoring four points in 19 games. Sorensen continued to progress within the Sharks system, including a career-best 17 goals and 30 points in 80 games in 2018-19. Never more than a third-line depth option for San Jose, though, Sorensen never topped those numbers.

A pending unrestricted free agent this year, Sorensen put up arguably the worst performance of his NHL career. It’s not that hard to blame him given the state of the team this season, but only one goal and five points in 29 games was a far cry from the production he’d put up in the past. He’ll look to rediscover his game overseas while returning home to his native Sweden. Considering the fact that he’ll be 33 years old at the expiry of the deal, Sorensen may have played his last NHL game.

Jayce Hawryluk Signs In Sweden

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For fringe NHL players sitting unsigned now into September, European offers are starting to look pretty tempting. For Jayce Hawryluk, it’s Sweden that will be the setting for the next chapter in his hockey career. The young forward has signed a one-year deal with Skelleftea AIK in the SHL.

Hawryluk, 25, played in 30 games for the Vancouver Canucks last season, taking his NHL total to 98 thus far. He was not issued a qualifying offer at the end of the year, making him an unrestricted free agent, and now he’s headed overseas to find playing time. It’s an interesting choice for a player who has substantial NHL playing time in each of the last three seasons, but it certainly doesn’t mean Hawryluk’s North American career is over.

Selected 32nd overall by the Florida Panthers in 2014 during an outstanding junior career, he has shown an ability to drive play in the minor leagues. In 2018-19, the last time he spent regular time in the AHL, he had 32 points in 31 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds. In fact, Hawryluk actually does have 27 points in his 98-game NHL career, pretty good production for a player that has averaged fewer than ten minutes of ice time. He’ll be a player to keep an eye on after his contract with Skelleftea expires, as a return to the NHL is certainly possible at some point, even as a depth player.

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.

Ben Thomas Signs In Sweden

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After grinding through several seasons in the minor leagues, Ben Thomas finally got his chance during the 2020-21 season. The defenseman played in five games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, finally reaching the NHL for the first time. Despite finally making it to the top, Thomas’ 25th birthday passed in May, meaning he became a Group VI unrestricted free agent when the offseason hit.

Now, Thomas is set for a new challenge. The minor league veteran is heading to Sweden to join Leksands IF in the SHL, signing a one-year contract.

Originally selected in the fourth round in 2014, Thomas suited up more than 300 times for the Syracuse Crunch, getting to the Calder Cup Finals in 2017. He had nine points in 16 games this season for Syracuse but was unable to record an NHL point in his short stint with Tampa Bay. There’s no doubt that he’s still young enough to make a return to North America at some point in the future, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll ever get another crack in the NHL.

For now, he’ll be testing himself on a whole new level, but Leksands is also hoping to continue his development and take him even further in his career.

Ben Thomas Drawing Interest In Sweden

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Defenseman Ben Thomas was finally able to crack the NHL this season, skating in five games with the Tampa Bay Lightning in his fifth pro season. However, it was too little too late in terms of NHL experience, as Thomas qualified for Group 6 unrestricted free agency. Yet, it seems as though the interest overseas is greater than any NHL interest that Thomas may have hoped for. Swedish source Expressen reports that the SHL’s Leksands IF has been negotiating with Thomas as they seek a top pair defenseman.

Thomas, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the Lightning in 2014. A productive two-way defenseman in the WHL, Thomas largely translated that ability to the AHL, recording 16+ points in each of his first four seasons with the Syracuse Crunch. However, he took a big step last season, recording nine points in only 16 games, not to mention a +8 rating. After years of being the “next man up” that never actually got called up, Thomas finally earned his chance with five games with Tampa Bay. While he was held scoreless, Thomas contributed defensively and his other underlying numbers were strong in the small sample size. His play across both leagues was at least enough to garner attention from overseas.

Expressen notes that Leksands is actually looking for two top defensemen and have talked to several former NHLers in addition to Thomas. This includes Anton Lindholm, who recently signed in the KHL, and Gustav Olofsson, who like Thomas played on NHL contracts last season. Joe Morrow and Matt Donovan are also in the mix. With a number of notable names on their list of candidates, it is clear that Leksands is serious about adding talent to the blue line. It also stands to reason that Leksands push to sign Thomas, described as “extensive”, could also be drawing the attention of other SHL contenders. Perhaps the opportunity in Sweden, both financially and role, is actually attracting Thomas away from a two-way NHL contract.

Avs’ Oskar Olausson Joins OHL’s Barrie Colts

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Oskar Olausson is making a change to his development path. The Colorado Avalanche’s 2021 first-round pick is making the jump to North America after playing exclusively in Sweden to this point. And while Olausson, who signed his entry-level contract earlier this month, will likely be in training camp with the Avs, it is unlikely that he will play in the pros this season. Instead, the OHL’s Barrie Colts have announced that Olausson has signed with the team and the press release implies that they expect him to be on the roster this season.

Olausson, the No. 28 overall pick last month, was selected in the first round of the NHL Draft in July but actually slipped to Barrie in the second round of the CHL Import Draft in June. A top draft talent who played professionally for much of last season, including spending time in the SHL with HV71, most CHL teams likely felt that Olausson was not a realistic target to switch to the major junior route. The Colts’ gamble will pay off, as they add one of the best players of the draft class and arguably the best non-pro prospect that the Avalanche own. Olausson joins fellow first round pick Brandt Clarke (LAK) and recent overage selection Ethan Cardwell (SJS) on a Barrie roster that hopes to make waves in the OHL’s return to action.

A slick skater and creative offensive talent, Olausson’s ability is apparent. However, the 6’2″ winger also has size and adjusting to the North American game prior to being thrown into the pro fire could be a massive boost to his development. Olausson won’t be leaving Sweden behind entirely this season either; the top prospect is likely to star for his country at the World Junior Championships as well. If all goes well at NHL training camp, at the WJC, and in his debut season in the OHL, it may not be out of the realm of possibility that he lands in Colorado next season.

Olle Lycksell Loaned To Sweden

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It’s back to Sweden for young forward Olle Lycksell, who has been loaned back to Vaxjo of the SHL for the 2021-22 campaign. Lycksell signed his two-year entry-level contract with the Flyers in May and will burn the first year regardless of where he plays.

Now 21, Lycksell was actually a sixth-round pick of the Flyers back in 2017 and would have seen his exclusive draft rights expire if he didn’t sign before June this year. The undersized forward has done well enough in his three-plus years at the SHL level that he was worth a contract slot though, especially after a promising 2020-21 campaign with Farjestad BK. He matched his goal and point totals–nine and 21 respectively–from the year prior, but did it in just 46 games this time. That progression is encouraging, though he’s obviously not ready for the NHL at this point.

This is a flier by the Flyers, hoping that Lycksell finds a way to overcome his size weakness and show he can put up big numbers in his fifth professional season. Though there could potentially be a place for him in Philadelphia’s bottom-six because of his positional versatility, the scoring ability will have to be there if he’s not bringing any size or physicality. With excellent hands and puck skills, perhaps he breaks out this year and really shows he can be a dominant offensive player in the SHL, but until that happens, an NHL roster spot is still a distant thought.

San Jose Sharks Sign William Eklund

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Aug 16: The Sharks have officially announced the contract.

Aug 15: The San Jose Sharks have inked a top prospect, signing William Eklund to a three-year entry-level contract. PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry a cap hit of $925K and does include a European Assignment Clause.

Eklund, 18, was the seventh-overall pick in this year’s draft after being the top-ranked international skater by NHL Central Scouting. He is still expected to play in the SHL this year, where he can continue his development with Djurgardens IF. In 2020-21, the young forward scored 11 goals and 23 points in 40 games at the pro level, earning SHL Rookie of the Year honors.

Despite that success, Eklund actually dropped a little lower than many were expecting, even falling behind countryman Simon Edvinsson as the first European drafted (not including Swiss-born Mason McTavish, who represents Canada internationally). The Sharks snapped him up when he was still available at seven, adding an elite two-way talent to their organization. Eklund is equally adept at both playmaking and scoring, constantly finding open ice whether the puck is on his stick or not. His size may be of a little concern, but his incessant work ethic has made up for it to this point. You won’t find a shift with Eklund floating around the perimeter, waiting for his teammates to do the heavy lifting; he’s always involved one way or another and should represent a huge boost to a Sharks pipeline that has struggled to produce impact talents in recent years.

Getting him signed was the next step, even though Eklund’s deal will slide forward if he plays outside the NHL this season. The deal takes the Sharks up to the 50-contract limit for now, though several of those–including this one–will not count toward it once they’re loaned out.

Overseas Notes: Olympics, Kuhnhackl, Slepets

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Will NHL players be headed to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China this year? The league’s initial schedule release suggested as much, with a break penciled in for February 7-22, but several weeks later the NHL still has yet to confirm their participation. Fortunately, the wait for a decision will not have to last much longer. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly tells ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski that the league will announce, one way or another, their intention for the 2022 Olympics by the end of the month. Wyshynski notes that multiple teams around the league had also indicated that a decision would be made in August. While Olympic participation was written in to the recent CBA extension, it was dependent on an agreement between the NHL and NHLPA and the IIHF as to terms. This has been made more difficult with the resurgent COVID-19 cases and the Games taking place in China of all places. Conversely, the league and players’ association are also concerned about the conditions that the players may be in, with Wyshynski writing that the restrictions could be even heavier than they were in the 2020 NHL postseason bubbles. If the NHL does opt to skip the Beijing Olympics, Daly confirms that the league does have a backup schedule that would fill some of the dates in that currently scheduled gap, though the logistics of such a move could be difficult for teams to manage.

  • Tom Kuhnhackl appears to be on his way out of the NHL and back to Europe. The German forward has been linked to Swedish club Skelleftea AIK, reports local source Sport Expressen. They go so far as to say that the terms of a deal have been agreed to, just not formally announced. Such a move should not come as much of a surprise. Although Kuhnhackl enjoyed a good stretch as a reliable bottom-six forward, he was unable to crack the New York Islanders lineup last season, spending the year exclusively in the AHL or on the taxi squad. As a result, the 29-year-old now heads back to Europe to take on a starring role in the SHL rather than a depth role in North America. The move will also ensure that he can suit up for Germany at the Olympics regardless of the NHL’s decision. Kuhnhackl has been stellar on the international stage for Germany in the past and will look to do so again.
  • Carolina Hurricanes prospect Kirill Slepets is not rushing to North America despite up-and-down development in Russia. The 2019 fifth-round pick has signed a one-year, two-way contract with Spartak Moscow, the team announced. An overage draft pick, Slepets is already 22 years old and after two season with KHL action, was relegated to only second-tier VHL play last season, leading some to expect he might try out a new development path. Instead, Slepets will stay put in Russia and try his luck with locking down a regular role with Spartak . A small, slippery winger, Slepets has struggled competing against the top talent of the KHL with just eight points in 43 games at the top level, but has shown his ability in the minors with 30 points in 65 VHL games. If he is to ever become a legitimate NHL prospect, especially at his age, the Hurricanes will need to see him take a major step this season or else try his hand in North America next year.

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