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Pittsburgh Penguins Place Linus Olund On Unconditional Waivers

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Friday: Olund has cleared waivers according to CapFriendly.

Thursday: The Pittsburgh Penguins are clearing a contract slot today, placing Linus Olund on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Olund’s entry-level contract extended through 2020-21, but he will be allowed to pursue other opportunities should he clear waivers tomorrow.

This move comes without much surprise, given that Olund played this season in Sweden on loan from the Penguins anyway. The 22-year old forward spent the 2018-19 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after signing his deal, but managed just 15 points in 61 games and returned to the SHL this year.

A contract termination would technically make him an unrestricted free agent able to sign with another NHL organization, but it seems more likely that Olund will be spending the foreseeable future in Sweden’s top league.

Jesper Olofsson Signs AHL Contract

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Victor Olofsson scored 20 goals and 42 points in his rookie year with the Buffalo Sabres, so the organization is climbing the family tree. Jesper Olofsson, his older brother, has signed a one-year contract with the Rochester Americans of the AHL for the 2020-21 season. He spent the last five seasons in the SHL, but will try his hand on North American ice next season.

Olofsson, 28, was never a top prospect in Sweden, failing to earn himself a spot in the World Juniors or a draft pick from the NHL. Instead, he slowly made his way through the ranks until finding success as an older rookie in the SHL during the 2015-16 season. Since then he’s been a capable member of whatever SHL he played for, but it’s hard to imagine him becoming an impact NHL talent at this point.

What he can do however is provide some experience to the Rochester squad while giving his younger brother a little comfort in his sophomore season. If his proximity gives Victor any sort of confidence boost, you can bet the Sabres will chalk the signing up as a win regardless of how he performs at the AHL level.

Blackhawks Forward Anton Wedin Signs With HV71

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May 9: HV71 announced that they have indeed signed Wedin.  It’s a three-year deal which means he won’t be trying his hand in North America again anytime soon.

May 3: Last year, Blackhawks winger Anton Wedin decided to try his hand in North America and signed as an undrafted free agent with Chicago.  It appears that his stay will be short-lived, however, as Aftonbladet’s Tomas Ros reports that Wedin will be returning to Sweden and is expected to sign with HV71 of the SHL.  Farjestad was also believed to be interested in his services.

The 27-year-old played in four games with the Blackhawks this season but had a very limited role in those contests, averaging just 9:04 per game while being held off the scoresheet.  However, he was much more productive with AHL Rockford, recording seven goals and ten assists in 31 contests but he also missed time due to a knee injury.

He’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason but considering his lack of NHL experience, it would be hard to imagine him getting much interest if he stuck around and waited for the market to open up.  Considering the NHL’s intention is to resume play, free agency may not be until September or later and by that time, international leagues may already be up and running.  As a result, reaching a deal back home now is likely a smart decision for Wedin who could always retry the NHL if things go well next season.

San Jose Sharks Sign Fredrik Handemark

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The San Jose Sharks couldn’t stop at just one free agent signing for the day. After it was reported earlier that the team had signed Russian goaltender Alexei Melnichuk to a two-year entry-level contract, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic tweets that the Sharks have also added Fredrik Handemark on a one-year entry-level deal.

Handemark, 26, has been playing in the SHL for the past seven seasons, captaining Malmo for the last three. He was among the league leaders in scoring this past year, recording 38 points in 52 games. The big-bodied center comes with plenty of polish as a two-way force, even if he hasn’t ever really been one of the most dynamic offensive weapons. Handemark has led the SHL in faceoff percentage in two of the last three seasons.

Adding an established pro like Handemark is another sign that the Sharks aren’t interested in the rebuilding path, despite their struggles this season. The team is reloading for another run at the playoffs, given that their core is still made up of aging veterans on long-term contracts. Introducing some more center depth with a cheap signing can only help those playoff prospects, though it’s still to be determined whether Handemark can contribute enough to help the NHL squad.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Filip Berglund

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The Edmonton Oilers have locked up another one of their draft picks, signing Filip Berglund to a two-year entry-level contract. Berlund recently completed his fourth full season in the SHL, playing for Skelleftea AIK. Just over a month ago, Berglund joined Linkoping HC on a two-year contract. It’s not clear if that’s where he’ll spend next season now that he’s under contract with the Oilers or if he’ll join the organization here in North America. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports that he is expected to stay in Sweden until the 2021-22 season.

Berglund, 22, has been a steady two-way presence for years now in Sweden, showing flashes of an offensive ceiling that could help him reach the NHL one day. Though he’s not at all the small, skilled puck-mover that the NHL has been trending towards—Berglund stands 6’3″ and is not an elite skater—there is still enough promise in his game to believe that he could one day be suiting up for the Oilers.

The question now becomes how the Edmonton blueline shakes out over the next several years. Ken Holland has been hoarding defensemen ever since taking over the GM role, but very few of them are signed long-term. It’s obvious that he is trying to build a young core on the back end, but who rises to the top is still to be determined.

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.

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