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Montreal Canadiens Sign Mattias Norlinder

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The Montreal Canadiens have signed Mattias Norlinder to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal kicks in for the 2021-22 season and will carry an average annual value of just under $860K.

Norlinder, 21, is coming off his first season at the SHL level, a year that saw him hold demonstrate his impressive potential playing a regular shift with Frolunda. Originally selected 64th overall in 2019, he scored 10 points in the regular season and then added five more in seven postseason games. The young defenseman isn’t big, but his incredibly quick decision-making and excellent skating ability makes him an exciting prospect for the Canadiens moving forward.

You’re just as likely to see Norlinder leading a rush as defending one, but that doesn’t mean he forgets about his own end. As Canadiens director of player development Rob Ramage told Arpon Basu of The Athletic last year, Norlinder is “fun to watch.” That continuous push to get the puck back and drive it the other way with pace is an exciting ability in today’s NHL and one that Montreal doesn’t have enough of in its current NHL group. The 21-year-old likely won’t be stepping into the NHL right away, as he told Patrik Bexell of Habs Eyes On The Prize that the plan is that he spends next season in Frolunda, unless he makes the Canadiens out of training camp.

Jacob De La Rose Returning To Sweden

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It certainly hasn’t been the NHL career that many envisioned for Jacob de La Rose when the Montreal Canadiens selected him 34th overall in 2013. A big, physical center that had already played at a high level in Sweden as a teenager, de La Rose’s offensive game was supposed to mature and develop in North America. It never did, with his best offensive year coming in the AHL when he scored 31 points in 62 games for the St. John’s IceCaps. In his 242 NHL games, split between the Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and St. Louis Blues, the 6’3″ forward registered just 38 points. Now, as restricted free agency approaches for the final time, de La Rose is going back home.

The 26-year-old has signed a three-year contract with Farjestad BK in the SHL, meaning that even if the Blues qualify him this summer, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent by the time this deal expires. It’s hard to even envision him returning to the NHL at this point, given how rarely he was given more than fourth-line minutes throughout his career. Through those 242 games he has averaged fewer than 12 minutes a night, and that is skewed heavily by his usage early on. Unless an offensive explosion happens in Sweden, this may be the last you hear of de La Rose on this side of the pond.

If that’s the case, it is just another poor outcome for a player selected high by the Canadiens in the mid-2010s. de La Rose followed first-round pick Michael McCarron in 2013, with Zach Fucale coming two picks later. In 2014 it was Nikita Scherbak and Brett Lernout with the first two picks, and in 2015 Noah Juulsen and Lukas Vejdemo were the team’s top two selections. Amazingly, it’s perhaps 2014 seventh-round pick Jake Evans that will make the biggest impact from those three classes (honorable mention to Artturi Lehkonen), after his strong performance as a two-way player this season.

Jacob De La Rose Drawing Interest In Sweden

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It’s getting difficult to ignore the noise coming out of Sweden as it pertains to St. Louis Blues forward Jacob De La Rose. When rumor first came out that his former SHL club Leksands IF was hoping to bring their homegrown product back overseas, it was largely dismissed. Now, the latest report indicates that a bidding war could be coming for De La Rose’s services, one that could convince him to leave the NHL behind.

Swedish news source Expressen reports that De La Rose has officially received a three-year contract offer from Farjestad BK, a perennial power house in Sweden. While Leksands finished higher that Farjestad in the regular season standings this year, both clubs exited in the quarterfinals. Farjestad has already gotten off to a hot start this off-season too, inking De La Rose’s fellow NHL forward Joakim Nygard to a long-term deal. If De La Rose believes that he can contend for an SHL title year in and year out, he may not be able to resist joining Farjestad. However, Leksands is not ready to lie down. Expressen adds that the club is prepared to offer a “significantly larger” contract in financial terms.

Is De La Rose ready to accept a deal from either Leksands or Farjestad though? Doing so could mean the end of his NHL career; at 26, if the bidding war results in both clubs offering increased term, De La Rose would have to be content with leaving North America behind. His usage in 2020-21 – just 13 games for the Blues – is certainly not what the veteran forward is looking for. However, De La Rose had played in at least 50 NHL games in each of the three prior seasons and has established himself as a useful bottom-six forward who occasionally flashes top-six talent. A restricted free agent this summer, De La Rose may be more inclined to leave for Sweden if the Blues retain his rights with a qualifying offer. Otherwise, he may give the NHL’s open market a long look before making a decision. Of course, if the bidding war in Sweden gets to a financial point where it doesn’t make sense to stay in North America, De La Rose could make his commitment sooner rather than later.

Oilers’ Joakim Nygard Signs In Sweden

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May 28: Now that the Oilers have been eliminated, swept out of the first round by the Winnipeg Jets, Nygard can go home. Farjestad has announced that he will return and that it is a record-breaking six-year deal. The 28-year-old will likely never suit up in the NHL again, given the length of the contract.

May 24: The Edmonton Oilers are on the brink of elimination, but are technically still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, that hasn’t stopped Joakim Nygard (or at least his camp) from looking ahead. Swedish news source Afton Bladet reports that Nygard, an impending unrestricted free agent, has received a “super contract” offer from his former SHL club, Farjestad BK. It is believed that the offer carries a five- or six-year term, all but ending the 28-year-old’s NHL career if he accepts.

Although Farjestad GM Peter Jakobsson would not confirm that Nygard had accepted an offer, seeing as he remains under contract with Edmonton, he did confirm the concrete interest and stated that they “obviously want” Nygard back. The forward spent eight years with the club before jumping to North America in 2019 and even returned briefly on loan early this season while awaiting the start of the delayed NHL season. With such tight ties to the club, it makes sense that Afton Bladet reports he has spurned other offers from around Europe and remains interested only in Farjestad or remaining in the NHL.

After the season that Nygard has had, all odds point to a return to Sweden. The quick winger enjoyed a nice start to his NHL career last season with nine points in 33 games, but the Oilers seemingly did not feel that he was worthy of an extended look in his second season. Nygard skated in just nine games with Edmonton and was held scoreless. He spent the remainder of the campaign watching from the press box, even as the team struggled with secondary scoring, and has yet to appear in the postseason. Without having proved much in the league, and having cleared waivers as well, there likely won’t be much interest in Nygard this off-season. With a substantial offer on the table back home, it seems like a no-brainer for Nygard barring an unexpected and mindset-shifting offer from someone else.

Matt Tomkins Signs In SHL

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The Chicago Blackhawks will bid farewell to one of their depth goaltenders, as Matt Tomkins has signed a one-year contract with Frolunda of the SHL. Tomkins was scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer as his two-year contract came to an end. Frolunda’s goaltending coach released a statement (via Google translate):

Matt is a big and structured goalkeeper with a European style and a clear game idea. We have scouted him properly and he has made a good impression on us. It will be really fun to work with him next season and he is excited to come here.  

Now 26, the seventh-round pick never did get to the NHL, playing his entire career thus far in the minor leagues. In 15 appearances with the Rockford IceHogs this season he posted a .907 save percentage, but he never did really seem to be in the plans for the Blackhawks as they went with other, younger, netminders at the NHL level.

Frolunda meanwhile recently lost their starting goalie when Erik Kallgren signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, meaning Tomkins should have a good opportunity to play overseas. Unless he takes a huge developmental step though, the now-former Blackhawks goaltender likely won’t be considered for another NHL contract down the road.

Julius Honka Signs In Sweden

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Seven years after being drafted 14th overall, it appears that Julius Honka’s time with the Dallas Stars organization is finally over. The 25-year-old defenseman has signed a two-year contract with Lulea HF in the SHL. Though the Stars could retain his restricted free agent rights this summer with a qualifying offer, Honka will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season after he turns 27.

It certainly hasn’t been a smooth ride for the Finnish defenseman. Honka was picked in the first half of the first round after an outstanding season with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL and immediately joined the Texas Stars in the AHL as a teenager. During the 2014-15 season, he scored 31 points in 68 games while also returning to the World Juniors where he had won a gold medal the year prior. It looked like the Stars had a future top-pairing defenseman on their hands, but that didn’t end up being the case.

Over the next few years, Honka eventually got a chance at the NHL, but recorded just 13 points in 87 games and was scratched more than he played. By 2019 he wanted out and ended up playing all of last season in Finland while hoping for a trade. That made it somewhat surprising when he signed a one-year, two-way deal for the 2020-21 season, returning from Europe just to play in the AHL once again. Honka had five points in 17 games for Texas this season and didn’t see a minute of game time with Dallas.

He’ll get his chance to join another organization when his rights eventually expire, but it’s hard to know what kind of NHL opportunity will be waiting for Honka at that point—or if he even wants it.

International Notes: Kaskisuo, Iskhakov, Weise

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Predators goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo has been on an NHL contract for the past five seasons but only has two career appearances at the top level to this point of his career.  As he’s set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, it appears some international opportunities will be presenting themselves; Leksand (SHL) GM Thomas Johansson told SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson that they are considering going after the 27-year-old for next season.  Kaskisuo was Nashville’s taxi squad goaltender this season and made just a single appearance lasting 15 minutes while not getting any AHL time so at this point, simply going somewhere where he will have a chance to play would certainly be appealing.

Elsewhere around the international hockey world:

  • Islanders prospect Ruslan Iskhakov opted to turn pro last season after spending two seasons at the University of Connecticut but instead of signing with New York, he went overseas and played in Finland. Despite finishing tied for third in scoring with TPS Turku with 38 points in 54 games, the 2018 second-rounder is on the move again and once again, it’s not to New York.  Instead, Adler Mannheim of the DEL announced that they’ve signed the 20-year-old to a one-year deal for next season.  It’s worth noting that the Isles only hold his rights through August 15, 2022, so if he doesn’t sign with them for next season, he’ll become a free agent.
  • After not playing this season, it appears as if winger Dale Weise is set to resume his career. Svensson reports in a separate column that the veteran has agreed to terms with IK Oskarshamn of the SHL with an official announcement expected in the next few days.  The 32-year-old is a veteran of 513 career NHL games across five separate organizations and became a free agent last fall after his contract with Montreal was not renewed.

Detroit Red Wings Agree To Terms With Jonatan Berggren

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The Detroit Red Wings are getting another top prospect under contract, agreeing to terms with Jonatan Berggren on a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward recently completed a breakout season with Skelleftea AIK in the SHL and will now begin his journey to the NHL.

Berggren, 20, was the 33rd overall pick in 2018, just a few picks after Joe Veleno. He stayed in Sweden after being selected and ended up scoring 45 points in 49 games this season, his first spent fully at the SHL level. Impressively, that was good enough to lead the powerful club and actually tied him for sixth in league scoring. As the release from the Red Wings includes, he became just the 13th player in SHL history to record 40 points in a season at age 20 or younger.

It’s that offensive potential that the Red Wings saw in the 5’8″ forward, and what will help him succeed at the next level. He has put up huge numbers at pretty much every step and will now be joining a program in Detroit that is filled to the brim with other talented youngsters. It’s not clear exactly where Berggren fits into the depth chart, but that’s certainly not a bad thing for a rebuilding club like the Red Wings.

Though sometimes with players like this, the first year of the entry-level contract is spent overseas, Berggren’s team indicated that his time there was finished after this season ended. It seems more likely that he’ll be suiting up for the Grand Rapids Griffins next season, or even the Red Wings should he make an impression in camp.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Erik Kallgren

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have added another name to the goaltending depth chart, signing Erik Kallgren to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $750K at the NHL level.

Kallgren, 24, was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in 2015 and actually did sign his entry-level contract, but left the organization in 2019. His contract was terminated and he returned to Sweden, where he just recently led Vaxjo to an SHL title. Kallgren was dominant in the playoffs, posting a .937 save percentage in ten games and registering a goals-against average of just 1.74.

Interestingly, Kallgren signed a two-year deal with Frolunda in the SHL just a few days ago, which confuses things a bit. It could mean that the Maple Leafs have agreed to loan him back to Sweden for the time being, signing him only to grab his restricted free agent rights, or perhaps he had a change of heart. It will be interesting to see where he starts the 2021-22 season.

The Maple Leafs would have had quite a few looks at the big goaltender, given their interest in one of his teammates. Pontus Holmberg, who was named playoff MVP on the championship Vaxjo squad, is a Toronto draft pick himself.

Snapshots: Lafleur, Sedins, Seider

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The QMJHL will never again have a player wearing No. 4. Guy Lafleur’s number will be retired league-wide as of next season, celebrating his status as the league’s all-time greatest player. Before all of his success at the NHL level, Lafleur dominated the Q, recording 379 points in 118 regular season games. Amazingly, he scored more than 100 goals in each of his two seasons in the league, including seven in a single game (and five in a period!).

Lafleur would go on to be the first player from the league to be selected first overall and won five Stanley Cup championships during his Hall of Fame career. He will actually join Sidney Crosby as the only players to have their numbers retired league-wide, though it seems likely that at least Mario Lemieux will join them before long.

  • Though rumblings continue to emerge about more drastic changes in the Vancouver Canucks front office, no official announcements have been made by the team. Darren Dreger of TSN however has heard that team ownership is in talks with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin about potential roles in the organization, without giving any specifics on what those would be. Thomas Drance of The Athletic tweets that the discussions are “not centered on a president or GM-type top decision maker role.” The twins are two of the greatest players to ever pull on a Canucks sweater and will likely be linked to the organization in some fashion for the rest of their lives; an official role would only be an extension of that connection.
  • Get excited Detroit, Moritz Seider is coming. The 20-year-old prospect was named Defenseman of the Year for the SHL this season after recording 28 points in 41 games for Rogle. Selected sixth overall in 2019, Seider signed his entry-level contract later that year but has yet to play a game for the Red Wings. Instead, he spent the entire 2019-20 season in the AHL developing his game with the Grand Rapids Griffins, before heading to Sweden to ensure a full season this time around. Playing against opponents sometimes more than a decade his elder, Seider was a dominant force at both ends of the rink.

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