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Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Simon Ryfors

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have added another undrafted talent, signing Simon Ryfors to a one-year, entry-level contract. The deal will kick in for the 2021-22 season and will leave Ryfors as a restricted free agent next summer.

In a season that has been so difficult for young players around the world, Ryfors experienced a breakout, scoring 25 goals and 45 points in 51 games for Rogle in the SHL. The 23-year-old had never scored more than six goals in a season previously, but managed to lead the entire league this time around. The actual goal scoring dried up a bit in the playoffs, but Ryfors still had 10 points in 14 games as Rogle lost in the finals.

The Lightning continue to add undrafted skill players through free agency, hoping their development system will be able to turn them into NHL talents before long. In Ryfors case specifically, they weren’t the only team interested. Corey Pronman of The Athletic ranked him as his fourth-best free agent among collegiate and European skaters, noting that though he doesn’t have top-end speed, makes up for it with his compete level.

Malmo Showing Interest In Carolina’s Joakim Ryan

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It has been a tough season for Hurricanes defenseman Joakim Ryan.  He cleared waivers in training camp and has spent the majority of the season on the taxi squad.  As a result, he has suited up just seven times this season, three with Carolina and four with AHL Chicago.  Not surprisingly, the pending unrestricted free agent is expected to head elsewhere for next season.

In this case, it appears that elsewhere may very well be in Sweden as SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson reports that Malmo of the SHL is in final negotiations to sign Ryan for next season although the deal wouldn’t officially be announced until Carolina’s playoffs come to an end.  Svensson qualifies his report by noting that a one-way NHL deal may be enough to sway Ryan to stay in North America although given how little he has played this season and the fact he already is on a two-way pact, that doesn’t seem likely to happen.

If this comes to fruition, it would be a homecoming of sorts for the 28-year-old who grew up just outside of Malmo until he was 12 when his family headed for the United States.  Several years ago, he indicated that he had a desire to play for Malmo although San Jose was able to get him to stay at that time before joining Los Angeles on a one-way deal back in 2019.

Between his time with those three organizations, Ryan has played in 144 career NHL games over four seasons but aside from his first year with the Sharks, he never has truly been able to establish himself as a regular player.  Accordingly, heading overseas would certainly make a lot of sense for him, especially if he can wind up close to home.

Niklas Hjalmarsson Considering Return To Sweden

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Veteran defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is nothing if not loyal. In his 14-year NHL career, Hjalmarsson has never once tested the free agent market. Instead, he has always signed an extension with his current team, each time arguably below market value as well. Hjalmarsson spent a decade in Chicago to begin his career, playing a key role in three Stanley Cup championships. Then, after the team traded him to the Arizona Coyotes, Hjalmarsson again decided to re-sign with his team, despite an unfamiliar rebuild underway in the desert. This season, in the final year of his current contract, Hjalmarsson even told the Coyotes that he would not waive his No-Movement Clause, opting instead to stick it out with his team.

It should come as no surprise then that, with the 33-year-old finally expected to become a free agent this summer, he is considering a return to a former team. No, not the Blackhawks. Swedish new source AftonBladet reports that Hjalmarsson is considering a return to the SHL’s HV71, the club with whom the blue liner played his developmental hockey. Hjalmarsson spent four seasons with HV71 before making the move to North America in 2007, but clearly the club has not forgotten their star alumnus. The report quotes the club’s GM, Johan Hult, as stating that Hjalmarsson is a “dream recruit”. Hult also notes that he has met with Hjalmarsson multiple times – at his home near HV71’s Jonkoping no less – to discuss the possibility of this move.

Of course, Hult admits that the move is dependent on Hjalmarsson not being blown away by an NHL offer this summer. It will be interesting to see what kind of attention, if any, Hjalmarsson draws in the off-season. Formerly a dominant two-way defenseman, Hjalmarsson’s game has slipped over the past few years. With two games left in his 2020-21 season, the veteran defenseman is on pace to record career-lows (among his full NHL seasons) in points per game, plus/minus, and time on ice per game, while his blocks, hits, takeaways, and possession numbers are all down as well. With that said, veteran presence still has value and contenders could still see Hjalmarsson as an experienced third-pair option – at the right price. However, the potential to return home to HV71 to play a major role may be more enticing to Hjalmarsson than chasing a fourth Cup as a depth piece. With the regular season ending soon, we could know shortly what Hjalmarsson’s next step may be.

Overseas Notes: Skelleftea, Khokhlachev, Langhamer

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After falling in the SHL semifinals, Swedish powerhouse Skelleftea AIK is already moving forward with their plans for next season. The team has announced a list of players who will not be returning in 2021-22 and it includes some notable NHL names. Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Philip Broberg, Detroit Red Wings’ forward Jonatan Berggren, and Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman Roland McKeown are all among those who will not return to Skelleftea next year and all are expected to instead be in the NHL. Broberg, 19, has in fact already made the jump, as he was recalled by the Oilers earlier this week. The 2019 No. 8 overall pick has been in Skelleftea on loan for two years since being drafted, but the big two-way defenseman is ready for the next step in his career. Berggren appears to be prepared to make that leap as well. Detroit’s 2018 second-round pick was Skelleftea’s leading scorer this season, recording 45 points in 49 games. The 20-year-old skilled play-maker is one of a number of promising Red Wings prospects, but Berggren’s dominance at the pro level this year should give him a leg up in training camp battles. McKeown is the outlier of the group; the 25-year-old blue liner made his European debut this season on loan from the Hurricanes. The former top prospect out of the OHL had faded from relevance among the Hurricanes’ deep defensive group and wished to stay in Sweden this year rather than play yet again in the AHL. While McKeown may join Carolina as a depth option in the playoffs now that his SHL season is over, his days with the organization are numbered. Slated for Group 6 unrestricted free agency this summer, McKeown may not be back with Skelleftea but he certainly won’t be staying in Raleigh either. He will have other options on the open market to find a more clear path to NHL opportunity.

  • Another prominent name in Europe who won’t be returning to his current team is Boston Bruins center Alexander Khokhlachev. The 27-year-old center was a key cog for Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk this season, recording 34 points in 59 games as a top-six forward, but the team has nonetheless announced that Khokhlachev has decided to leave the club. This could very well mean that Khokhlachev is finally eyeing a return to North America after five years away, and the timing of the move is key. The Bruins’ rights to Khokhlachev finally expire on June 30th. While it’s not impossible that Khokhlachev could give the Bruins another shot under his old AHL head coach Bruce Cassidy, there are certainly better opportunities for an NHL role elsewhere if he instead waits to become a free agent this summer.
  • One player who isn’t rushing back to his NHL rights holder is goaltender Marek Langhamer. Despite the possibility that the Arizona Coyotes could have some more opportunity in net next season with Antti Raanta headed for free agency, Adin Hill expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft, and Darcy Kuemper still a hot name on the rumor mill, Langhamer won’t be involved. Even after two strong seasons in the KHL, Langhamer has decided to stay in Europe, signing a one-year-deal with the Liiga’s Illves. It’s unclear if Langhamer is averse to re-joining the ’Yotes or just the NHL overall, but regardless he will see his rights expire on June 30th of next season and can then return to North America as a free agent if he chooses.

North Notes: Andersen, Holl, Koskinen, Lerby

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The Toronto Maple Leafs might be getting back a familiar face in net as goaltender Frederik Andersen, who has been on the ice for more than a week now saw his practice routine ramped up Sunday. Head coach Sheldon Keefe, who said today was a “good step” in his recovery from a knee injury he suffered in mid-March, according to TSN’s Mark Masters.

He is not expected to join the team on their road trip to Montreal, but is expected to participate in Wednesday’s practice as they build up his workload.

TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Justin Holl, who left Saturday’s game in the third period after being hit in the face with a puck, was not at practice Sunday. He was replaced in the lineup by Timothy Liljegren. Keefe said that Holl “is doing well,” but will not be travelling to Montreal with the team, according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. However, Holl is not expected to be out for a significant amount of time.

  • Sportnet’s Mark Spector reports that the Edmonton Oilers are expected to give some starts to goaltender Mikko Koskinen over the team’s final seven games. Koskinen, who lost his job as the team’s starting netminder, got his first start Wednesday since April 7 and fared quite well, stopping 29 of 30 shots against Winnipeg. Despite the impressive play of veteran Mike Smith, the team might want to kick the tires on Koskinen and see what he has to offer after struggling earlier this year. He has posted an 11-11 record this season with a 2.99 GAA and a .906 save percentage this season, allowing Smith to overtake him as the team’s No. 1 option.
  • The Calgary Flames may be losing a prospect as defenseman Carl-Johan Lerby is close to signing a new contract with Malmo of the SHL after his two-year deal with Calgary expires this offseason, according to Johan Svensson of KvallsPosten (translation required). Of course, nothing has been confirmed, but the 23-year-old Lerby, who signed with the Flames as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has yet to make his NHL debut and doesn’t look on track to do it this season. He spent the first season of the contract on loan to Malmo and has spent this season with the Stockton Heat of the AHL where he has seven assists in 22 games.

KHL Off-Season Opening Day Round-Up

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The KHL off-season opened today and the league did not waste any time in making moves that have meaning to NHL fans. A number of familiar names have hit free agency today and some are already agreeing to new deals. Meanwhile, others are being traded on the first day to do so, including the rights to some players currently in North America. Keep up with all of today’s action as the KHL’s clubs get their summers started early with significant moves:

  •  One of the first players to sign with a new team early this morning was former NHL forward Teemu Pulkkinen. A Detroit Red Wings draft pick who also spent time with the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, and most recently the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18, Pulkkinen will be entering his fourth season in the KHL and is already on to his fourth different team. After splitting this season between Dynamo Moscow and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, collecting 30 points in 46 games, Pulkkinen has signed a two-year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk. The 29-year-old has scored at a .67 per-game clip in his KHL career and shows no signs of slowing down.
  • SKA St. Petersberg and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod have made an interesting futures swap, trading the rights of two current NHLers. Torpedo received the rights to Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi (as well as minor league forward Danil Voyevodin) while SKA landed the rights to young San Jose Sharks goalie Alexei Melnichuk. The deal is tricky on a number of levels; while Puljujarvi is undoubtedly the biggest name in the trade, it is Melnichuk who commanded the larger side of the return. It was also KHL powerhouse SKA who received the prospect netminder and gave up the established scorer. This could be a simple case of different likelihoods of those player rights having any value. While Puljujarvi previously left the Oilers for Europe, he has finally found his NHL stride in his return this season and is unlikely to leave again. Even if he does, Puljujarvi may just return home to the Finnish Liiga as well. On the other hand, Melnichuk was born and bred in the SKA system and the team may have some insight into his future plans. The 22-year-old keeper is valued by the Sharks and even made his NHL debut this year in his first season in North America, however his AHL play has underwhelmed and he doesn’t look like a realistic full-time NHL option for San Jose next season. If the young goalie grows tired of playing in the minors in North America, he would probably be happy to jump back to his old team and take on a starting role in the KHL.
  • Former Boston Bruins forward Joonas Kemppainen has signed a one-year extension to remain with SKA. The Finnish power forward didn’t work out in his lone NHL season back in 2015-16, recording five points in eleven games with Boston, but has been a productive player in the KHL for five years now. That includes a 15-goal, 29-point campaign with St. Petersberg this year that earned him an extension. The 33-year-old veteran is not a candidate to ever return to North America, but still has plenty to offer in Russia.
  • Vladimir Zharkov feels like ancient New Jersey Devils history at this point, but the former top prospect continues to produce in the KHL. Zharkov, 33, spent four seasons with the Devils early in his career and was a nice fringe piece, but lacked starting upside. In the KHL since 2012-13, Zharkov has become a reliable two-way forward and locker room leader, spending many years with top programs like CSKA Moscow and Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Now he’s off to the top team in the league, signing a two-year deal with recently-crowned Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk, replacing the veteran presence of the departed Ilya Kovalchuk.
  • Torpedo jumped right back into the action, signing an exciting forward to a one-year deal. Marek Hrivik gave his all to a career in North America, developing in the QMJHL and spending six seasons primarily in the AHL for the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames. However, he never could earn a full-time opportunity and returned home to Europe in 2018. Even then, his first go-round in the KHL did not go all that well. However, after back-to-back stellar season in Sweden, he is ready to give it another try with Torpedo. Hrivik totaled 81 points in 90 games with the SHL’s Leksands IF these past two years and if that can translate to the KHL then the 29-year-old could become a star in Russia.
  • Another trade involving NHL property has landed, but this one could have more immediate dividends. Defending champions Omsk have acquired the rights to Boston Bruins prospect forward Peter Cehlarik from Yaroslavl in exchange for the rights to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kodie Curran. Cehlarik, 25, is already in Europe, having left Boston this past off-season to join Leksands IF in Sweden. Cehlarik always showed great promise in the AHL, but couldn’t translate it to the NHL for the Bruins. After recording 20 goals and 40 points in 45 SHL games this season, Cehlarik may want to return to Boston, who continues to hold his rights, in an attempt to prove himself once more. However, the talented winger could be tempted to join the KHL’s current kings this off-season instead. As for Curran, 31, he already did his stint in Europe and made his return to North America. The Calgary native spent the previous four seasons in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden before earning his first NHL contract with the Ducks this past off-season. While he hasn’t see any action in Anaheim just yet, he has 11 points in 17 AHL games this season and his one-way, $1MM contract still has another year remaining. However, if Curran is still not being utilized by the Ducks after next season and doesn’t draw any other NHL offers as a result, he has a new home to return to in Europe in Yarolslavl.
  • After signing his entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, Pyotr Kochetkov has inked another deal – a one-year extension with Torpedo. The 21-year-old landed in Novgorod late in the season, but excelled down the stretch and in the postseason with save percentages of .931 and .932, respectively. Kochetkov could very well be in line for the starting role for Torpedo next season while playing on loan from Carolina.

Minor Transactions: 04/28/21

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The playoff chase is heating up in the NHL, but elsewhere most leagues are winding down. The KHL season came to an end today with Avangard Omsk hoisting their first Gagarin Cup. The SHL, the Swiss NLA, and the German DEL are all down to just four teams apiece following the conclusion of their quarterfinal playoff rounds, while the Finnish Liiga is halfway through their quarterfinals with just six teams still alive. Even the AHL season is coming to a close, with no Calder Cup up for grabs and the regular season schedule over for some North Division teams and ending early next month for all others. As the leagues come to a close and players turn toward the future, it can cause some notable ripples in the NHL market. Here are some of those minor, but meaningful moves:

  • After a dozen pro seasons, former NHL defenseman Victor Bartley has called it a career. The 33-year-old made the announcement in the most subtle way possible, changing his personal Twitter account to description to “retired professional hockey player” following the conclusion of his brief season with Unia Oswiecim in Poland. Bartley has spent the past four season in Europe, two with the KHL’s Kunlund Red Star and another with the SHL’s Orebrok HK. However, he spent the previous six seasons under contract in the NHL. Bartley spent parts of five seasons with the Nashville Predators, including skating in 50 games with the team in 2013-14. He also spent time with the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild, totaling 121 NHL games between the three clubs.
  • The Boston Bruins won’t be reuniting with Linus Arnesson next season. The 26-year-old defenseman, a 2013 second-round pick, recently became a free agent at the conclusion of his SHL season. A solid stay-at-home defender who played well in a few AHL seasons, there was some belief that Arnesson might look at an NHL return following several strong seasons overseas. However, he has decided to stay at home in Sweden rather than try his luck again in North America, at least for one more year. Djurgardens IF, the program that Arnesson played his developmental hockey with, has welcomed their product home on a one-year deal, the team announced. Perhaps Arnesson will try to re-connect with the Bruins next summer, but his value seemingly decreases with each passing year.
  • The Ottawa Senators are hoping that they can finally bring over one of their own second-round picks, 2017 selection Marcus Davidsson. The 22-year-old two-way forward has had somewhat of an up-and-down stretch over the past few years in the Swedish ranks, with 2020-21 as more of a low point, but was once a highly-regarded prospect and has shown flashes of NHL ability. Davidsson finished the season on a strong note though, joining Sodertalje SK of the Allsvenskan for 14 games and recording 8 points and a +5 rating along the way. However, the team announced today that Davidsson will not be remaining with Sodertalje moving forward. This frees Davidsson up to make the jump to North America if he chooses, perhaps getting back on his development track with some time in the AHL for the Senators. Ottawa risks never getting anything out of the high pick if he remains in Sweden and keeps bouncing around and not taking the next step forward in his career.
  • EHC Munich wrapped up their DEL season recently and today confirmed the departures of a number of player. The list reads as a who’s who of former NHLers, including Derek Roy, Chris Bourque, Andrew Ebbett, and Keith Aulie. None of the four are realistic candidates to return to the NHL at this late point in their respective careers, but could still be off to make a difference elsewhere in Europe and potentially to guide current and future NHL prospects.

Max Veronneau Staying In Sweden

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When Max Veronneau’s career at Princeton came to an end, there were more than 25 NHL teams trying to sign the undrafted free agent. He ended up inking a two-year entry-level deal with his hometown Ottawa Senators and entered their lineup almost immediately. At the end of the 2018-19 season, he played in 12 NHL games, recording four points.

Unfortunately, that was the highlight of his professional career so far. The next season Veronneau would find himself stuck in the minor leagues and then eventually traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he would play just three games for the Toronto Marlies before the COVID crisis shut down the AHL. At the end of the season, the Maple Leafs decided not to extend him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent once again.

He ended up going to Sweden to play for IK Oskarshamn, where he got back to the scoring ways he had been so used to in his college career. Though 25 SHL games, the 25-year-old forward recorded 12 goals and 18 points. Now, with a decision to make on where to take his career, Veronneau will stay in Sweden for a while longer. He has signed a two-year deal with Leksands IF that will keep him in the SHL through the 2022-23 season.

Connected at various times to teams like the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and Los Angeles Kings, Veronneau’s decision to sign in Ottawa has certainly sent his career in an interesting direction. He’ll be a player to watch when he hits free agency again in two years, though perhaps just as a depth player if he decides to bring his talents back to North America.

Oskar Back Signs With Dallas Stars

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12:30 PM: The Stars have made the deal official. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

11:54 AM: Though the team has yet to make an official announcement, Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas News reports that the Stars have signed Oskar Back to his entry-level contract. The young forward recently finished his second full season in the SHL and will be signing a three-year deal.

Back, 21, recorded four goals and 14 points in 52 games for Farjestad BK, but more importantly, continued his development as a top checking forward. That’s where his future lies if he is to ever crack an NHL roster, using his size and mobility to shadow the other team’s best players. Selected 75th overall in 2018, there’s not a ton of offensive upside in Back, but the Stars obviously believe he can still be an asset to the organization at some level.

The Stars have just 26 player contracts handed out for next season, with a ton of players hitting free agency in one form or another. Back should be able to find room in the minor leagues to play substantial minutes unless the team feels it necessary to send him back to the SHL for further development. At any rate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in a Dallas uniform pretty quickly, though his potential to play more than just a fourth-line role is limited.

New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Karl Henriksson

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April 21: The Rangers have officially announced the deal.

April 20: Another night, another signing by the New York Rangers, who continue to look ahead to next year despite still chasing down a playoff spot in the East Division this year. This time, they have come to terms with a top prospect to his entry-level contract. CapFriendly reports that the Rangers are set to sign forward Karl Henriksson to a three-year ECL, beginning in 2021-22, that carries an AAV of $870K. The breakdown of the contract is as follows:

2021-22: $750K base salary + 92.5K signing bonus + $82.5K games played bonus
2022-23: $750K base salary + 92.5K signing bonus + $82.5K games played bonus
2023-24: $832.5K base salary + 92.5K signing bonus

Henriksson, 20, was the Rangers’ second-round pick in 2019 out of the SHL’s Frolunda HC. A 200-foot center with great vision and play-making ability, Henriksson has continued to impress even in limited minutes as Sweden’s top level. He also was a late exclusion from Sweden’s World Juniors roster this year due to COVID-19 protocols. Regardless, New York has seen enough to ink the young pivot and see what he can do in North America.

Henriksson is yet another promising young prospect for the Rangers, but could be one of the more important names in the system due to his position. While the Blueshirts have lucked into elite prospect wingers in Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere over the past two seasons and have tremendous youthful talent on the blue line and in goal, but center is the one critical area of need. Henriksson perhaps represents New York’s best hope of finding a top-six center internally among their current prospects. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a young player who will be making his first trip to North America, but they hope that the Swedish standout can answer the call.

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