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Niklas Svedberg To Sign In Sweden

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It was a short-lived NHL comeback for goaltender Niklas Svedberg. The 28-year-old free agent returned from two years abroad in the KHL with a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild, but is now reportedly headed back to his native Sweden. A Swedish newspaper, the Kvalls Posten, revealed that Svedberg has agreed to terms with Timra IK of the SHL and two sides are hammering out the details of a contract, per GM Kent Norberg.

Svedberg originally made a name for himself in Sweden, breaking into the elite ranks with MODO at just 17 years old in 2007-08. He played five seasons in the SHL, including three as a starter, and led Brynas IF to the championship in 2012. Following his success overseas, the undrafted keeper signed a two-year deal with the Boston Bruins. Svedberg entered the NHL with high expectations that a combination of underwhelming performance and a lack of opportunity has kept him from reaching. In his first year in Boston, Svedberg was blocked by the emergence of Anton Khudobin as the backup to Tuukka Rask and did not play a single game in the NHL that year for the eventual Eastern Conference champions. However, he did post top marks in the AHL. The next season, Svedberg finally made his debut, but was held to just the one impressive outing as Boston again got reliable backup play, this time from Chad Johnson. Meanwhile, his play dropped off in the AHL. Finally, in 2014-15, Svedberg was promised the backup job in Boston and re-signed with the team. He performed well, posting a .918 SV% and 2.33 GAA, but did so in just 18 appearances as Rask started 70 games.

Seemingly was fed up with his role in Boston and unable to find work elsewhere in the league, Sveberg left for the KHL in 2015 and proceeded to serve as the starter for Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the next two seasons. Although he was the unchallenged starter, Svedberg’s performance in the KHL last year was the worst of his pro career and the journeyman goalie decided he would settle for a backup job in the NHL, signing with the Minnesota Wild last summer. Again, Svedberg’s luck was poor; he expected to replace Darcy Kuemper as the backup to Devan Dubnyk, but instead lost the job in camp to Alex Stalock and did not make an appearance with Minnesota this year. His performance with AHL Iowa was pedestrian as well.

Now, Svedberg seems to be content to just head home to Sweden and make his living as a starter in the SHL. He has his work cut out for him with Timra, who return to the country’s top league after being relegated back in 2013. The team has some promising young talent up front, but the adjustment to tougher competition will be much smoother with Svedberg in net. With that said, a recently promoted team is unlikely to be immediately successful and Svedberg may not put up flashy numbers with the team. As such, it may be hard for him to work his way back into the international spotlight. The NHL may have seen the last of Svedberg.

Elias Pettersson Signs Entry-Level Contract With Vancouver Canucks

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Saturday: CapFriendly provides the details of Pettersson’s contract, noting that he receives the maximum Schedule ’A’ and ’B’ bonuses ($850K and $2MM, respectively) in each year along with a maximum base salary and signing bonus ($925K combined).  This marks the first time that a fifth-overall selection has received the maximum entry-level contract, something that is typically reserved for the top pick or two in the draft.  However, Nashville’s decision to give Eeli Tolvanen (the 30th selection in 2017) maximum bonuses in the final two years of his contract may wind up changing those standards around the league.

Friday: The Vancouver Canucks have signed one of the top prospects in the world, inking Elias Pettersson to a three-year entry-level contract. Pettersson was selected fifth-overall last summer, and led the SHL in scoring en route to a Swedish championship. Pettersson also won a World Junior silver medal earlier this year, and just recently was part of the gold medal-winning Swedish World Championship team.

Though Pettersson had to leave the most recent tournament after suffering a thumb injury, he’s expected to be ready for training camp where he could very well carve out a spot on the Canucks. The 19-year old forward had 56 points in 44 games for Vaxjo and added another 19 in their 13-game playoff run. Though he could certainly afford to fill out a bit and gain some strength, his elusiveness and creativity allows him to succeed almost every time he touches the puck. Pettersson is a type of do-it-all forward that could potentially turn into a superstar in the NHL, scoring highlight reel goals while providing plenty of offensive opportunities for his linemates. Vancouver GM Jim Benning released a statement about his newest player:

Elias is a talented offensive player with tremendous vision and skill. Like most Canucks fans we watched with excitement the incredible season he had in Sweden. This is an important offseason of training and development for Elias and we expect him to be ready to challenge for a roster spot in training camp

Pettersson could stay in Sweden for another season, and the GM recently spoke out about how he believes another year with Vaxjo would do him well. There are still things that he can learn in the SHL, but if the Canucks feel he can compete at the NHL level right away there won’t be anything standing in his way. After winning Rookie of the Year, Best Forward, and MVP of both the regular season and playoffs, it would be understandable if Pettersson wants a new challenge in North America in 2018-19. We’ll have to wait to see if he gets that chance.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Gustav Lindstrom To Three-Year Deal

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The Detroit Red Wings have signed another one of their top prospects, inking Gustav Lindstrom to a three-year entry-level contract. Lindstrom is expected to play this season for Frolunda of the SHL, but could show up at development camp this summer for the Red Wings.

Lindstrom, selected with the 38th pick of the 2017 draft, has played the last two seasons in Sweden’s Allsvenskan, their equivalent of the AHL. The 19-year old right-handed defenseman recorded 14 points, but isn’t necessarily known for his offensive production. The biggest takeaway from many scouts is how calm Lindstrom is in his own end, collecting pucks and completing quick breakout passes. While that may not be as exciting as a high-flying defender with elite puck skills, the Red Wings should be happy with their second-round pick’s development so far and his track to becoming an NHL player down the road.

The Red Wings have just one NHL defenseman—Danny DeKeyser—signed past next season, and will be looking to rebuild their entire blue line in the coming years. With players like Lindstrom, Dennis Cholowski and Filip Hronek on the way, that problem may not be too hard to solve. They’ll have to cross their fingers and hope everyone develops as planned, but things are starting to look up in Motown.

Ryan Stoa, Andy Miele Sign In KHL

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Two veteran American forwards have signed new contracts to play in the KHL after strong 2017-18 seasons. Ryan Stoa remains in Russia for the fifth straight season since leaving North America but will be switching teams as Traktor Chelyabinsk announced that they have signed the power forward. Meanwhile, Andy Miele will make the jump over from the Swedish Hockey League in just his second season since crossing the Atlantic. Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod revealed their signing of the swift center in a team release this week.

Stoa gained significant visibility this year as a member of Team USA at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. While Stoa was held scoreless through five games, he saw ample ice time for the Americans. He used his time much better during the KHL season, recording 30 points in 53 games for Spartak Moskva. Stoa formed a potent combination on Spartak’s top line with Boston Bruins prospect Alexander Khokhlachev and recent San Jose Sharks signee Lukas Radil. Now moving to Traktor, a team that made the conference final without him this past season, Stoa will join former AHL rival Paul Szczechura and dynamic young Vitali Kravtsov on an offense that should be impressive. A second-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche back in 2005, a member of the U.S. National Development Program, and the captain of the University of Minnesota, Stoa’s performance fell far short of his lofty expectations in the NHL, but he did manage to suit up for 40 games between the Avs and Washington Capitals before developing into a high-end player overseas.

Miele faced far fewer expectations than Stoa as a young player at the University of Miami, but that all changed when he scored 71 points as a senior and won the 2011 Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey. An undrafted free agent who was highly sought-after, Miele signed with the Phoenix Coyotes and the team planned for the dynamic puck-handler to play a top-nine center role. Instead, Miele played in only 15 NHL games over his entry-level deal in Arizona despite dominating the AHL. Miele played another three minor league seasons, all among the AHL’s top scorers, but never got a legitimate chance at the highest level. As a result, Miele joined the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL last off-season and quickly became one of their top forwards. However, Miele’s ability really shined after he was acquired by the Vaxjo Lakers mid-season. With Miele’s help, alongside star Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson, the Lakers went on to win the SHL Championship. Miele earned himself a step up in European pro hockey, as he now heads to Torpedo with a chance to help out a team that exceeded expectations in the KHL last year and has a chance to be even better next season.

Buffalo Sabres Sign Rasmus Asplund To Three-Year Deal

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The Buffalo Sabres have signed a top prospect, inking Rasmus Asplund to a three-year entry-level contract. The 20-year old forward has spent the last four seasons playing in the SHL, but could now begin his North American career.

Asplund was selected with the 33rd pick in the 2016 draft, just 25 picks after the Sabres had selected countryman and international teammate Alexander Nylander. The pair had shared the ice together at the recent World Juniors and would do so again the next year. There was hope that they could develop together and provide support to Jack Eichel in the coming years, something that still could happen as they enter their twenties. Asplund especially has experienced solid growth in the SHL, scoring 28 points in 50 games this season while even wearing an “A” as an alternate captain despite his young age.

The 5’11” 176-lbs center can do a little bit of everything on the ice and helps linemates by allowing them room to use their offensive talents. Though he may not have the ceiling of someone like Eichel or Casey Mittelstadt, there is plenty of hope that he could carve out a two-way role on the Sabres, contributing offensively while being a do-it-all defensive option. If he does come over to North America next season, expect him to suit up with the Rochester Americans to polish off his game before any NHL debuts are in order.

Snapshots: Heiskanen, Bachman, Belov

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It has been quite a year for Miro Heiskanen, the third overall pick last year by the Dallas Stars. The young defenseman put up 23 points in 30 games in the Finnish Liiga, played well at the World Juniors and the Olympics, and most recently has starred in the World Championships. As reported by the Associated Press, the only logical next step is the NHL. “I want to play there as soon as possible, that’s my goal”, Heiskanen said about joining the league’s best in the NHL next season. Heiskanen knows that he could still get stronger and smarter, but his skill is very clearly pro-ready. Heiskanen is likely to step in and immediately play a key two-way role on the Dallas blue line. Expect the announcement sooner rather than later that arguably the best defensive prospect in hockey will be a full-time Star next season.

  • Former Stars goalie Richard Bachman has struggled to ever be more in the NHL than he was as Dallas’ primary backup in 2011-12. He has spent almost all of the past five years toiling in the AHL for the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Heading into free agency, it seems Bachman has decided to move on from the NHL. Swedish news site Hockey Sverige reports that Bachman is expected to sign with Timra of the SHL. Instead of sitting behind Swedes – Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson – in the NHL, the 30-year-old Bachman is expected to be given the starter’s job initially with Timra as he begins a new chapter in his career.
  • Former NHL defenseman Anton Belov won’t be making the jump across the Atlantic this summer. The Russian rearguard has re-signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, the team he has played with since leaving the Edmonton Oilers in 2013-14, for three more years per a team release. This extension likely rules out a future return to the NHL for the 31-year-old, though he will remain a visible name on the international stage as a top defender for a perennial KHL contender and as a frequent member of Russian national teams.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Joel Persson, Will Assign To SHL For 2018-19

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In one of the more intriguing transactions in recent memory, the Edmonton Oilers have signed European free agent Joel Persson but announced that he will be loaned to Vaxjo of the SHL for the 2018-19 season. The contract is an entry-level deal for just one year, meaning the Oilers are essentially buying his exclusive rights for the 2019-20 season and beyond. Persson will become a restricted free agent after his one-year contract expires, at which point he can negotiate a new deal that isn’t limited by the entry-level system.

A move like this to circumvent the entry-level system isn’t normal, and could actually be grounds for looking closely at the rules in the next collective bargaining agreement. We’ve seen transaction trickery be squashed quickly in years past, and this fits into that category. From the Oilers perspective though, it is a savvy move to get a player that may not necessarily want to come to North America right away. GM Peter Chiarelli released a statement on his new prospect:

We are excited to have Joel join our organization. He has progressed rapidly in the last year and has shown a very good offensive side to his game which is compatible with some of our needs. The plan is for Joel to remain with his club team next year. We have the right of recall but want to see him develop his game thoroughly in what will be his second year in the Swedish Elite League

Persson, 24, is fresh off an SHL Championship with Vaxjo after exploding for 34 points as a rookie. That was good enough for second in the entire league among defensemen, only behind the recently signed Lawrence Pilut (Buffalo Sabres). If Persson can continue to show that he’s an elite puck-mover at the professional level in Sweden, Edmonton could sign him to a multi-year contract next summer to help the right side of their defense. That group was notoriously weak this season, and needs to add more skill and quickness to play the type of game that best suits Connor McDavid’s play.

With Persson staying in Sweden for this season though, the Oilers still have work to do on their defense. Just yesterday we released our Offseason Keys for the team, which noted that it will be difficult to land a big fish on the free agent market without moving out some salary. Either way, the team needs to do something to support their young superstar and vault themselves back into the playoff picture.

International Notes: Dyblenko, Granberg, Bengtsson

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After the New Jersey Devils placed Yaroslav Dyblenko on unconditional waivers earlier this month, the expectation was that he would return to the KHL. That expectation is now reality, as his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey tweets out a congratulations on signing with SKA St. Petersburg. If nothing else, his foray into the North American circuit for a year improved his stock in Russia, as Dyblenko will now play for one of the league’s powerhouses.

Dyblenko never worked out in New Jersey, and ended up playing 54 games for the AHL Binghamton Devils instead. The 24-year old defenseman will be an unrestricted free agent again after his deal with SKA runs out, meaning we could see him back in North America at some point. That likely will only happen if a team can guarantee him an NHL job, something he’ll need to earn playing with his new club.

  • Petter Granberg is heading back to Sweden, signing a three-year deal with Skelleftea of the SHL. The former Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators defenseman was scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the entire year in the minor leagues. Granberg, selected in the fourth round back in 2010, looked like he was developing into a solid third pairing player at one point. That still might come, but we won’t be seeing him back in the NHL for the next few seasons.
  • Another Swedish defenseman is heading home, as Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Lukas Bengtsson has signed a three-year contract with Linkoping. Bengtsson was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer, and still hadn’t cracked the NHL lineup. Signing as an undrafted free agent with Pittsburgh in 2016, the 24-year old undersized defenseman recorded 15 points in 37 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, but didn’t look to be in the long-term plans at any point.

Joel Persson Linked To Edmonton Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers may have found another skilled defenseman to add to the blue line, as Ryan Rishaug of TSN tweets that the team has “locked up” Joel Persson. Persson played this season for Vaxjo of the SHL, where he recorded 34 points in 51 games during his first year at the highest level in Sweden. He was a big part of getting that club to a SHL Championship, while also leading all defensemen in Champions League scoring.

Persson, 24, was quite a surprise for Vaxjo this season and continued to improve on a near-daily basis. The young defenseman will immediately inject some more puck-moving skill into the Edmonton system, though it’s not clear if he’ll make the NHL team out of camp. Even more importantly perhaps for the Oilers is that the 5’11” defender is right-handed, giving them another option behind Adam Larsson and Matt Benning. Though others including Kris Russell have played the right side, there was a distinct lack of depth throughout the organization.

At Persson’s age, a one-year entry-level contract would be necessary which would send him to restricted free agency in 2019. That’s very little risk for a player who has taken such huge strides this season, and could continue to get even better in a short period of time.

Buffalo Sabres Officially Sign Lawrence Pilut

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Though it has been expected for several weeks, the Buffalo Sabres finally announced that they have officially signed defenseman Lawrence Pilut to a two-year entry-level contract. Pilut has played the last several seasons with HV71 of the SHL, where he was named Defenseman of the Year in 2017-18.

Pilut, 22, immediately adds a good helping of skill into the Buffalo defense corps, something it has been sorely missing over the last few seasons. While there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to handle the grind of the North American game, he certainly proved himself a capable hockey playing during several years in Sweden. This season, he recorded 38 points in 52 games and was a dynamic puck-mover for HV71. That comes a year after taking home the SHL Championship, though he didn’t play quite as large of a role on that team.

With Josh Gorges and Justin Falk heading for unrestricted free agency, and rumors swirling about a potential return to the KHL for Victor Antipin, the Sabres depth on the left side of their defense has taken a big hit. Though Brendan Guhle is expected to push for a full-time position at camp, adding Pilut to the mix only strengthens the group overall. Even if he needs to start at the AHL level the team has already started the process of improving their back end, a crucial goal for GM Jason Botterill this summer.

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