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Philadelphia Flyers Sign Linus Sandin

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April 29: Sandin has officially joined the Flyers on a one-year entry-level contract. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher explained the move:

We are happy to have Linus under contract for next season. Our scouting staff has done an excellent job identifying him as a player who can come into camp and compete for a spot on our team right away. He works extremely hard and we expect him to add size, skill and tenacity to our forward group.

April 23: The Philadelphia Flyers will be adding a new player at some point in the future, as Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Linus Sandin intends to sign with the team once international transfer agreements are finalized. Sandin, the older brother of Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin, is an undrafted free agent who has played the last three seasons in the SHL.

A deal for Sandin that begins in 2020-21 would have to be a one-year entry-level contract thanks to his age. After that he would become a restricted free agent. Johnston reports that the 23-year old forward received multiple NHL offers.

A high-scoring winger, Sandin recorded 19 goals and 36 points in 51 games this season for HV71. That tied him for third in the league in goals, something he has always been able to produce. Whether his entire game can translate to North America isn’t clear, but the Flyers are obviously willing to take a chance.

Nils Hoglander Signs Entry-Level Deal

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The Vancouver Canucks have convinced one of their most exciting prospects to join the organization, signing Nils Hoglander to a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward has wowed audiences in the SHL for the last two seasons and Canucks GM Jim Benning is happy to have him under contract:

Nils is a dynamic player with a high skill level and a strong work ethic. He’s a creative playmaker with great hands and goal-scoring abilities. We’re pleased to sign Nils today and look forward to seeing continued development in his game next season.

If you didn’t know Hoglander’s name when the Canucks selected him 40th overall in 2019, you certainly did after the World Juniors. The skilled forward pulled off an incredible lacrosse-style goal against Finland that had the whole hockey world talking. While that goal may have opened the eyes of a broader audience, it wasn’t the first jaw-dropping goal Hoglander had scored at a high level and it certainly won’t be the last.

There is a real chance that Hoglander could return to Sweden for another season should he fail to make the Canucks out of camp, but there is a lot of excitement about his future in Vancouver.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Theodor Lennstrom

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After playing the last three seasons in the SHL, Theodor Lennstrom is ready to make the leap. The Edmonton Oilers have signed the free agent defenseman to a one-year entry-level contract.

Lennstrom, 25, has been a reliable contributor during his three years at the highest level in Sweden, recording at least 15 points in each. The smooth-skating defenseman can move the puck quickly and effectively, though there are still questions about his overall game.

For the Oilers, there’s nothing wrong with taking a swing at a player that has shown he can compete at a high level, given how they have only just started to build the depth required to contend for the Stanley Cup. A one-year deal presents very little risk, but will leave Lennstrom a restricted free agent and under team control next summer.

Mathias Brome Expected To Sign With Detroit Red Wings

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The Vancouver Canucks have lost a free agent battle with the Detroit Red Wings, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Mathias Brome is expected to sign in Motown. Brome had been deciding between the two clubs after another outstanding season in the SHL.

Now 25, the undrafted forward is coming to North America for the first time in his hockey career, one that has been marked by drastic year-over-year improvement. Brome has become a star at every level of hockey in Sweden, and is coming off a 43-point performance with Orebro HK in the 2019-20 season. That was good enough for sixth in the SHL scoring race, obviously drawing some interest from across the pond.

It’s hard to blame an unproven free agent like Brome for picking Detroit, given how many opportunities will be available next season. The Red Wings are still just at the beginning of their rebuild and will need bodies to fill in a roster that will likely look considerably different next season. For Detroit GM Steve Yzerman, signing a player like Brome could not only give his team a boost on the ice, but perhaps an extra trade chip come deadline day.

NHL Announces New Player Transfer Agreements

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The NHL has announced new player transfer agreements today, including one-year extensions with the existing ones. Those include the IIHF Member Federations/Leagues in Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

They have also extended the existing CHL Agreement with the Canadian Hockey League (OHL, WHL, QMJHL). This means that nothing will change in regards to players drafted out of the CHL being eligible for AHL play before the age of 20. Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) recently polled scouts on whether the believed the agreement should be amended; 60% felt it should be, however, any changes will have to wait at least another year.

The biggest news however is the new one-year agreement with the Swiss Ice Hockey Association and Swiss League, something that previously did not exist. This will provide extra opportunities for players in Switzerland to come over to North America, and will slightly tweak the rules for draft picks out of the league.

With these agreements announced, we will likely see a flood of contracts for European players officially filed over the next few days.

Oula Palve Signs In SHL

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Despite still technically being under contract with the Dallas Stars, Oula Palve has already decided to take his talents back overseas. The Finnish forward has signed a two-year contract with Linkoping HC of the SHL, ending his sojourn in North America after just one season.

Palve, 28, was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 after he starred in Finland for several years. A talented offensive player that scored 51 points in 53 games during the 2018-19 season, he was asked to play a checking role for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and then the Texas Stars following a midseason trade.

That defensive role is exactly what Palve is looking to escape, telling his new team that playing a more offensive game was a big part of the decision to return to Europe.

In 60 games split between WBS and Texas, Palve recorded three goals and 13 points. His one-year contract will expire at the end of the season, leaving him an unrestricted free agent.

Chicago’s Jacob Nilsson To Return To Sweden

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Just two years after leaving his native Sweden, Chicago Blackhawks forward Jacob Nilsson is heading back. Farjestad BK of the SHL has announced that they have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the 26-year-old forward. Nilsson, who signed a one-year extension with Chicago last year, was poised to become a restricted free agent this off-season but has seemingly already made his decision.

Nilsson, who Farjestad accurately calls a “late bloomer” in their press release, played in the junior and minor league levels in Sweden until 2017-18 when his former club, Mora IK, was promoted to the SHL. After just that one lone season, Nilsson’s strong two-way play caught the eye of the Blackhawks and earned him an entry-level contract. However, last season Nilsson appeared in just two games with Chicago and had not played in an NHL game this season.

With that said, Nilsson has been fairly productive in the AHL, recording 22 goals and 53 points over two seasons with the Rockford Ice Hogs. He may not have NHL ability, but Farjestad is excited to bring in the skilled center. He joins fellow Swede and former Blackhawks teammate Victor Ejdsell with his new club and they hope to lead Farjestad to a similar or better result as this season, in which the team finished second in regular seasons standings but lost their shot at a title due to the cancelled postseason.

Edmonton Oilers Linked To Theodor Lennstrom

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Veteran Swedish defenseman Theodor Lennstrom has informed Frolunda HC that he will not honor the final year of his contract and will not play in the SHL next season. The question now is where exactly he will play. Swedish source Kvalls Posten seems confident that the answer is the NHL, as they report that Lennstrom is choosing between a number of offers, but seems most likely to land with the Edmonton Oilers.

Lennstrom, 25, was undrafted out of Sweden and has never played anywhere else but his native country, but finally seems ready to take the next step in his career and sign an entry-level contract in the NHL. Lennstrom is an offensive defenseman, excelling in the skating and possession aspects of the game. His defensive game is likely not quite ready for the NHL though and he may need to start in the AHL upon arriving to North America or else play in a sheltered, power play-dependent role at first.

If he is to succeed at the top level, Edmonton seems like a strong choice. Kvalls Posten notes that team has two fellow Swedish defensemen in Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson, as well as a former teammate of Lennstrom’s in Joakim Nygard. On the other hand, the Oilers do have a decent amount of depth on the blue line and that position battle would become even more crowded if another Swede defender, top prospect Philip Broberg, also decided to jump to North America this off-season. There remain a number of other teams interested in Lennstrom as well, specifically the New Jersey Devils as a top suitor for his services, so his decision is far from made.

Flames Expected To Sign Johannes Kinnvall

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Earlier today, Flames GM Brad Treliving told reporters, including Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg (Twitter link) that the team was waiting for the finalization of a new transfer agreement before they could confirm the signing of a Swedish free agent.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman relays (via Twitter) that the player that Treliving was referencing was Swedish defenseman Johannes Kinnvall.

The 22-year-old is coming off of a breakout season in the SHL where he finished second in league scoring after collecting 11 goals and 29 assists in 51 games with HV71.  He was already on Calgary’s radar before this season though as he attended their development camp last summer.

Kinnvall is already signed for next season which is why the extension of the current transfer agreement between the NHL and the Swedish Federation is required.  Friedman notes that there were rumblings earlier in the week about the NHL wanting to do one-year extensions on their current agreements so that will be something to watch for in the days to come.

Assuming a deal eventually is finalized, Kinnvall will receive a two-year, entry-level deal and join a Flames back end that has several youngsters that are already established in the NHL.  However, with both Travis Hamonic and T.J. Brodie eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, there could be an opening or two on their back end and with the year that Kinnvall just had, he could certainly push for a spot sooner than later.

Adam Helewka Signs AHL Contract

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The merry-go-round continues to spin for Adam Helewka, who has now signed an AHL contract with the Cleveland Monsters, minor league affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The young forward split last season between the KHL and SHL, spending most of the year with Linkopings HC.

That stint overseas—during which Helewka recorded 19 points in 44 games—came after an interesting few weeks. Originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2015, the former WHL star had already been traded twice previously when he found himself on his way to the New Jersey Devils organization in June of 2019. His contract was terminated a few days later, giving him the chance to pursue an opportunity in the KHL.

Four different minor league teams, two overseas clubs, and several organizations later, Helewka will try to get his career back on track with the Monsters. The 6’2″ forward has 118 points in 119 AHL appearances and still could have a chance to improve his game enough to get an NHL crack one day. That would have to be quite the development step though and requires him to eventually sign another NHL contract at some point down the road.

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