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Danil Gushchin, Albin Grewe Sign In OHL

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Two notable NHL prospects and recent CHL Import Draft selections have joined the ranks of the OHL. 2020 draft eligible forward Danil Gushchin, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 Import Draft, has signed with the Niagara Ice Dogs, while forward Albin Grewe, a 2019 third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, has signed with the Saginaw Spirit.

Gushchin’s move signals a shift in his developmental path. A consensus second-round pick in the coming NHL Entry Draft, Gushchin is a very talented forward with great speed and stick skills. The one glaring concern about his game is his size: Gushchin stands just 5’8” and weighs in at around 160 lbs. For this reason, it seemed the Russian winger was favoring the collegiate development path, which can often be better for undersized players. The No. 7 overall pick in the CHL Import Draft last year, Gushchin instead opted to play another season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, preserving his NCAA eligibility. However, with questions about the likelihood of a college hockey season, Gushchin may have decided that the best choice for his development was to improve his level of play next season and the OHL was his safest bet. The question now, and one that NHL scouting staffs will have to decide, is whether the size and skill that made him a point-per-game player in the USHL will translate to the OHL and eventually to the pros.

As for Grewe, the move to the OHL is not unexpected following a disappointing 2019-20 campaign. A skilled and pesky two-way winger out of Sweden, Grewe was considered a great value for the Red Wings at No. 66 overall last year. He was expected to play a larger role with the SHL’s Djurgardens IF this year after getting into 15 games last season but failing to record a point. Instead, he was limited to just 19 games and managed just one point, while his production fell off considerably in the junior SuperElit as well. In fact, the only real statistical growth this year for Grewe was in penalty minutes. Grewe needs to work more on his offensive game and skill development and has a better chance of doing that playing meaningful minutes against his peers at the junior level rather than bouncing back and forth from a pro team where he was clearly not ready to compete. Although Saginaw waited to select Grewe until the second round of the Import Draft, both sides were happy to sign on for next year. Now Detroit fans just have to hope that the talented forward can get back on track with his new team and league.

Snapshots: Berglund, Rangers’ Goalie Battle

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Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League has offered a contract to free agent Patrik Berglund, per Uffe Bodin of hockeysverige.se. Berglund, last seen in the NHL as a member of the 2018-2019 Buffalo Sabres, had his contract terminated after failing to report. Mental health issues led Berglund to forfeit the $10MM contract and return to Europe where he eventually signed a deal with Djurgardens in the SHL. It appears as if Berglund, 32, will stay in the Swedish Hockey League for the foreseeable future, putting an end to any speculation that he might return stateside. Berglund initially joined the Sabres to help match salary as part of the Ryan O’Reilly trade.

  • The New York Rangers are in the enviable position of having not one, not two, but three viable options at goaltender once play resumes, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. Henrik Lundqvist (.905 save percentage in 26 starts) could be grandfathered into the starting role, but Igor Shesterkin (.932 save percentage in 12 starts)and Alexandar Georgiev (.910 save percentage in 32 starts) each made their case with solid play during the year. As with many of the roster decisions coming out of the long layoff, this may come down to conditioning and readiness. However he decides, coach David Quinn is sure to be second-guessed if their five-game Stanley Cup Qualifier against the Carolina Hurricanes goes poorly. On his thinking, Quinn said this: “You can make a case for all three guys. There’s a lot of reasons to take ’Shesty,’ there’s a lot of reasons to start Hank (Lundqvist), and there’s reasons to start ’Georgie.’ This is such an uncertain time that that will play out over the course of the two and a half weeks that we’re going to have before we drop the puck.”
  • Looking ahead, the Rangers decision could speak to their likely direction this offseason when they’ll need to decide again how to manage the futures of Lundqvist, 38, Shesterkin, 24, and Georgiev, 24. Lundqvist is owed $8.5MM for the 2020-2021 season while Shesterkin has another year at $925K. “Georgie” could be the odd man out, as he will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. That said, the Rangers’ remain in control of all three, and they’ll likely explore trade avenues to extract value from the deep positional group.

Rangers Prospect Nils Lundkvist Signs SHL Extension

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Rangers prospect Nils Lundkvist had a post-draft season to remember with Lulea but it appears that he has some unfinished business with them as the SHL squad announced that they’ve signed the defenseman to a one-year contract extension that will keep him there for the 2020-21 season.

The 19-year-old was the 28th overall pick back in 2018 following a season split between the SHL and Sweden’s junior league.  Last year, he worked his way into a regular role.  This season, however, he thrived, posting 11 goals and 20 assists in 45 games, good for seventh in the league in scoring among blueliners.  He also logged 20:18 per night, second-most among Lulea rearguards.  Lundkvist was also third in scoring by a defender at the World Juniors, picking up a goal and seven assists in seven games.

That performance led many to believe that he was ready to make the jump to play in North America if not even push for a roster spot with New York for next year.  However, it’s likely that the uncertainty surrounding the start of next season due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has helped push Lundkvist in this direction.  Sticking around with Lulea guarantees him a full season of development and put him in a good spot to contend for a spot with the Rangers for 2021-22.

Rangers UFA Nick Ebert Signs In SHL

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Rangers UFA Nick Ebert returned to North America last summer in the hopes of getting an NHL opportunity.  That never materialized so he has decided to head back overseas as Orebro of the SHL announced that they’ve signed Ebert to a two-year contract.

Ebert spent the majority of the season with New York’s AHL affiliate in Hartford where he had five goals and 11 assists in 46 AHL contests this season.  He also played in one game with Ottawa’s affiliate as it was the Senators who initially brought him over but moved him early in the year to the Rangers as part of the Vladislav Namestnikov deal.

The 26-year-old previously played with Orebro in 2018-19 as well as a handful of games the year before.  It was his performance with them last season that helped get him back on the North American radar even though it didn’t amount to an NHL chance in the end.

Orebro’s press release states that Ebert’s actual arrival date is unknown which seemingly paves the way for him to be a part of New York’s postseason roster if they so desire.  Considering he wasn’t recalled during the season. it seems unlikely that they’ll do so in which case he’d be able to join them in August in advance of training camp.

Lias Andersson Will Not Return To Rangers For Postseason

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Disgruntled New York Rangers prospect Lias Andersson is apparently still upset with his NHL club. The 21-year-old forward was loaned to the SHL’s HV71 in his native Sweden in late January after he had requested a trade out of New York in December. However, after a lengthy amount of time apart, the Rangers decided to offer Andersson a spot at training camp and on their playoff roster, according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks. However, Brooks reports that a source told the Post that Andersson has declined this invitation and will remain in Sweden. This could very well be the last straw for the Rangers and Andersson.

Andersson, the seventh overall pick in 2017, has openly expressed his displeasure with his role in New York and it eventually led him out of town. The problem is that the talented forward does not have the numbers to back up his argument. Yes, Andersson is a skilled player who flashed incredible offensive ability in the SHL at a very young age and was worthy of his draft slot. However, in three seasons in North America the young center has recorded just nine points in 66 NHL games and 39 points in 74 AHL games. The production simply has not matched the hype and few would fault the Rangers for using Andersson sparingly while they wait for his talent to catch up with the pace of NHL play.

Unfortunately, it now seems like the Rangers are unlikely to see Andersson reach his potential (if he ever does). With bridges all but burnt, Brooks expects that he will remain in Sweden until he is traded. However, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello does point out that Andersson is under contract with New York next season and the Rangers will have the final say as to where he plays. Regardless, that is unlikely to be the Big Apple. It’s all hands on deck for the Rangers, one of the more unlikely playoff teams in the NHL’s expanded postseason, but when Andersson is needed the most, he has opted not to answer the bell. For a player lauded for his work ethic and leadership ability in the draft process, Andersson has failed the Rangers at every turn and they likely face little choice now but to try to get a fair return back for the troubled prospect.

Bruins Sign Victor Berglund

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With Monday being the deadline for players under contract next season for teams in countries that have transfer agreements with the NHL to sign an NHL deal, there have been quite a few signings today.  Boston has joined in on the action as CapFriendly reports that they’ve signed defenseman Victor Berglund to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal carries an AAV of just over $818K before performance bonuses and breaks down as follows:

2020-21: $775.5K salary (including signing bonus), $70K AHL salary, no performance bonuses
2021-22: $835K salary (including signing bonus), $70K AHL salary, $15K performance bonuses
2022-23: $842.5K salary (including signing bonus), $70K AHL salary, $82.5K performance bonuses

Berglund was a seventh-round pick of the Bruins back in 2017 (195th overall) and has spent time in Sweden’s second-tier pro league (Allsvenskan) since his draft-eligible year while playing in MODO’s system.  This season, he picked up 10 goals and 12 assists in 52 games and got into a pair of games in the qualification round before the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to that.

The 20-year-old has committed to transfer to Lulea of the SHL for next season back in March but presumably will now set his sights on a full year in North America with AHL Providence.  It won’t be Berglund’s first foray into the AHL though as he got into four games with them late in the 2019 season.

John Nyberg Signs In SHL

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The Pittsburgh Penguins organization ended up only getting 16 games out of John Nyberg. The defensive prospect has signed a two-year deal with Brynas, returning to the SHL after his short stint in North America. Nyberg arrived in the Pittsburgh organization in a midseason trade with the Dallas Stars, but his entry-level deal is up and he won’t be signing a new one.

Originally selected in the sixth round by the Stars in 2014, Nyberg didn’t even come over to join their minor league program until 2018. Once there, the 6’3″ defenseman struggled to contribute much offense and even spent some time in the ECHL. He was sent to Pittsburgh in exchange for Oula Palve, who is also headed back to Sweden for the 2020-21 season.

As several reporters including Murat Ates of The Athletic discussed on Twitter yesterday, the lack of a concrete plan for the 2020-21 AHL season could force some players back overseas in order to land job security. Without a clear path to the NHL club a player like Nyberg may have more opportunity playing in his home country, given that the AHL season may be extremely truncated due to a lack of ticket sales.

If the Penguins wish to retain his exclusive rights temporarily, they can issue Nyberg a qualifying offer after the season ends.

Joel Persson Returns To SHL

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After a season in the NHL, defenseman Joel Persson is headed back to his native Sweden. In fact, he will return to the SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers, the same team he played with for the two seasons prior to his jump to North America. The team has announced a new three-year deal with Persson that will keep him in Sweden through the 2022-23 season.

Persson, 26, actually signed his first NHL deal with the Edmonton Oilers in 2018. However, he stayed with Vaxjo on loan through the 2018-19 season before inking a one-year extension with Edmonton. He arrived in the NHL this season and recorded two points in 13 games with the Oilers, adding 16 points in 27 games with AHL Bakersfield. Persson was traded to the Anaheim Ducks at the deadline, but did make an appearance with the team and was held scoreless in the minors as well. So while a recent report noted that the Ducks had communicated with all of their pending free agents, it is no surprise that there was no mutual interest in a continued relationship between Anaheim and Persson.

While Persson’s first season in North America was not a failure, it didn’t live up to the expectations set by his meteoric rise in Sweden. Fortunately, he is still young enough to make the decision to return home without it eliminating the chance of an NHL comeback. Persson will be 29 when his new deal with Vaxjo expires. Based off his performance in his first two years in the SHL – 65 points in 101 games and league championship – his stock will likely be even higher at that time. NHL teams will likely be keeping tabs on the talented puck-moving, right-handed blue liner over the next few years. It’s quite possible that this is not the last of Persson in the league.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Albert Johansson

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The Detroit Red Wings continued their rebuild today, signing prospect Albert Johansson to a three-year entry-level contract. The young defenseman spent the 2019-20 season with Farjestads of the SHL.

Johansson, 19, was the 60th overall pick last year and represents another member of the Red Wings growing defensive prospect pool. The team used three of their top four picks a year ago on European defensemen, with Johansson joining Moritz Seider (6th overall) and Antti Tuomisto (35th).

Though he only scored 13 points in 42 SHL games, just taking a regular shift at such a young age is an impressive feat. Johansson only turned 19 in January, meaning his contract can still slide a year if he fails to make the NHL squad.

That fate is likely given that the 6’0″ 168-lbs defenseman still needs quite a bit of polish and physical maturity, but his raw skills represent a lot to get excited about. Whether he spends next season in the SHL or AHL is unclear, but expect his offensive production to improve in either case as he becomes more accustomed to the opposition.

Johansson is also a contender for the Swedish squad at the next World Juniors, given his gold medal performance at the U18 and silver medal at the Hlinka-Gretzky.

Anaheim Ducks Sign SHL MVP Kodie Curran

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The Anaheim Ducks have made an intriguing free agency splash by signing defenseman Kodie Curran, the reigning MVP of the Swedish Hockey League. Curran has inked a two-year, one-way contract with the Ducks that carries a $1MM AAV, reports numerous sources including the OC Register.

To say that Curran has had an unconventional path to the NHL would be an understatement. The 30-year-old was never drafted after playing his developmental years with AJHL and USports. He played two seasons in the minors in North America before embarking on a career in Europe in 2016. Over the past four years, he has played in Demark, Norway, and Sweden, dominating in all three countries. He won a championship in each of his single seasons in the top Danish and Norse leagues and was an All-Star and top defenseman each year as well. The highlight of his career came this past season in the SHL, when he recorded 49 points in 48 games for Rogle BK to lead all defensemen in assists and points, to lead all imports in points, and to take home the honors of Defenseman of the Year and MVP.

His greatest challenge will now come in the NHL though and he will face an uphill battle to make the Anaheim roster before he even has a chance at regular action at the top level. The Ducks have six defensemen on one-way contracts already signed for next season, including four making $4MM or more against the cap. This does not include RFA defender Jacob Larsson, who will also be back with the team. They also have young blue liners like Brendan Guhle and Josh Mahura who will push for opportunity. Curran will need to be at his best to make the Opening Night roster and to stick in Anaheim. However, he has shown an impeccable ability to rise to the occasion in recent years and it will be exciting to see if he does so again in his newest venture.

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