Overseas Notes: Sorensen, Josefson, AIK
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Patrick Russell Signs In Sweden
Another one of the Edmonton Oilers’ unrestricted free agent forwards has found a new home. Patrick Russell has signed a two-year contract with Linkoping HC of the SHL, returning to the program he played for in junior.
Russell, 28, suited up just eight times for the Oilers this season, registering two assists. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of St. Cloud State, the Danish forward ended up playing 59 games over the last three years with Edmonton. Amazingly, he failed to record a single goal despite generating 76 shots on net. If he fails to return to North America, his NHL career will end with zero goals and seven points.
For years now, the Oilers have been trying to find a mix of forwards that can give Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl some help. With the additions of Zach Hyman, Warren Foegele, and Derek Ryan, they’ll try again to make a more balanced attack. Russell, who was a strong player for the Bakersfield Condors when in the minor leagues, will end up back overseas after failing to fill one of those bottom-six roles.
Overseas Notes: Meszaros, Rattie, Gragnani
It is a homecoming of sorts for veteran defenseman Andrej Meszaros. The 35-year-old has signed a one-year deal with HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovakian Extraliga, returning to the same club that he left when he departed for the NHL 17 years ago. Meszaros developed in the Trencin system and received his first pro experience with the club before being drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2004 NHL draft and making the jump to North America to join the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He now returns after ten years in the NHL and another six in the KHL and Extraliga, the past five as the captain of Slovakian powerhouse HC Slovan Bratislava. The move back to Trencin could be a sentimental one for Meszaros, who will hit 1,000 career pro games if he suits up for 60 this season, which could mark the end of a long, successful career.
- When Ty Rattie left the NHL following the 2018-19 season despite setting career highs in games played and points, it came as somewhat of a surprise. Rattie had established himself as a capable depth forward and seemed to be on his way up after that final season with the Edmonton Oilers. Yet, Rattie made the jump to Europe and it seems to be working out. After a strong first season overseas in the KHL, Rattie joined the Liiga’s Assat this past year. While his production wasn’t spectacular, it was enough to draw the attention of other European clubs. According to Swedish source Aftonbladet, the SHL’s Timra IK have come to terms with Rattie on a one-year contract. He becomes the crown jewel of an expansive free agent haul for Timra, who are returning to the SHL after earning promotion out of the second tier Allsvenskan. Rattie will join a roster that also includes fellow former NHLer Tim Erixon as well as a number of former NHL prospects, as he looks to make up for the loss of departed Allsvenskan MVP Jonathan Dahlen.
- Another former NHLer sticking in Europe is veteran defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani. The veteran defenseman has played in Europe for seven of the past eight seasons, with a stop with the New Jersey Devils mixed in, but at 34 still has gas left in the tank. It helps that he didn’t put much wear on the tires this year, playing in just five games with the SHL’s Djurgardens IF after a late-season arrival. However, his point-per-game production in that small sample size appears to have been enough. Swedish source Expressen reports that Djurgardens is in a “far-reaching negotiation” with Gragnani, stating that both sides were happy with the match and are interested in an extension.
Jonathan Davidsson Signs In Sweden
The Ottawa Senators may have brought back their AHL head coach, but they’re losing a minor league forward. Jonathan Davidsson has signed a one-year contract with HV71 in Sweden. He’ll be joined by his brother Marcus Davidsson, a Buffalo Sabres draft pick that became an unrestricted free agent when he went unsigned at the beginning of this month.
Jonathan Davidsson, 24, was a sixth-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets back in 2017 and ended up in the Senators organization as part of the return for Matt Duchene. At the time, he looked like an interesting prospect who had found plenty of success at the SHL level. Unfortunately, his offensive production didn’t make the trip to North America, as the right-winger scored just five points in his 30 games with the Belleville Senators. In a six-game stint with Ottawa in 2019-20, he managed just a single assist.
The Senators will be able to retain his exclusive rights with a qualifying offer, though it certainly is no guarantee to come. The team doesn’t really have a place for him at this point in the NHL or AHL, so cutting ties may be the most likely outcome.
His younger brother Marcus Davidsson is an interesting story, given how high he was selected in the 2017 draft. The 37th-overall pick, he was actually ranked 12th among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Unfortunately, the offensive production that was expected never happened and the 22-year-old never ended up signing his entry-level contract. In 49 games split between the SHL and the second tier last season, he managed just 14 points.