The Calgary Flames have found a place for one of their most promising prospects to play. The club has announced that forward Glenn Gawdin has been loaned to the EHC Visp Lions of the Swiss League, Switzerland’s second level of pro hockey.
In a weird coincidence, former Flames forward Vesa Viitakoski is an assistant coach for Visp.
Gawdin, 23, was signed by the Flames a couple seasons ago after going unsigned by the St. Louis Blues after his selection in the 2015 NHL Draft. He was a superb two-way junior player, but had an offensive explosion in 2017-18 and has since emerged as one of the Flames’ most NHL-ready forward prospects. He was named to the AHL’s All-Star Game last season and was called up to Calgary, but didn’t play a game.
Gawdin joins a bunch of Flames-contracted players currently staying busy in Europe while they wait for the 2020-21 NHL season to begin:
  • Finland: Juuso Valimaki (Ilves)
  • Sweden: Eetu Tuulola (Vasterviks)
  • Russia: Dmitry Zavgorodniy (SKA St. Petersburg), Artyom Zagidulin (Metallurg Magnitigorsk)
  • Slovakia: Martin Pospisil (HC Kosice)
(Johannes Kinnvall is under contract, but on loan for the full 2020-21 season.)