On Friday’s weekly chat with local media, Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving disclosed that the team will likely have some signings to announce next week. The hold-up with one of the signings was the extension of the current transfer agreement between the NHL and Sweden.
To that end, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has connected the Flames with Swedish blueliner Johannes Kinnvall.
There were rumblings this week the NHL was looking at extending current International/CHL deals by one year, we’ll see. The speculation here surrounds 22-year-old right-shot D Johannes Kinnvall. Was second in Swedish League in defenceman scoring. https://t.co/Wg6XJAWXmG
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 24, 2020
Kinnvall, 22, is a right shot blueliner who spent last season with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League. He was second in his circuit in scoring with 40 points in 51 games. He’s progressed extremely well, becoming one of the top Swedish defenders in just his third full pro season.
He was invited to Flames development camp last July and impressed and, shockingly, the Flames kept tabs on him. If (or when) his entry level contract is filed with the league, it’ll be a two year pact that leaves him as a restricted free agent following the 2021-22 season. He would be exempt from the Seattle expansion draft.
The probable addition of Kinnvall makes for potentially a very competitive blueline for 2020-21 across the organization:
Left Shots | Right Shots |
Mark Giordano (one-way) Noah Hanifin (one-way) Oliver Kylington (RFA) Juuso Valimaki Carl-Johan Lerby Colton Poolman Connor Mackey Andrew Nielsen (RFA) Noah King (AHL) | Rasmus Andersson (one-way) Alexander Yelesin Johannes Kinnvall (presumed) Greg Moro (AHL) Koletrane Wilson (AHL) |
