The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Wednesday morning that they’ve signed free agent netminder Erik Källgren to a two-year deal. It’s a two-way deal carrying a total value of $1.5 million and an average annual value of the new league minimum ($750,000). The deal carries Källgren through the 2022-23 season.
🖋 We’ve signed goaltender Erik Källgren to a two-year, two-way contract. #LeafsForever
Details » https://t.co/vYvlTLePJo pic.twitter.com/WI264llpod
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 19, 2021
Erik Källgren Inks Deal With Maple Leafs
This isn’t Källgren’s first go-around in North America, nor is it his first NHL contract. The 24-year-old netminder was a 2015 seventh-round draft selection by the Arizona Coyotes. He spent four years in Sweden’s minor league, the Allsvenskan, before signing his entry-level deal and coming to North America prior to the 2019-20 season. His North American stint was short-lived, playing just five games between the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners and the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush.
Despite save percentages of .967 with Tuscon and .924 with Rapid City, Källgren returned to Europe during that season and left the Coyotes organization. He signed a deal with the SHL’s Växjö Lakers but was nearly immediately loaned to TPS of the Finnish Liiga. This season marked the most consistency Källgren has had in his career, and it paid off. Despite just a 12-9-0 record and .911 save percentage with the Lakers this year, his .930 mark in the playoffs helped carry Växjö to their second championship in four years, stealing the starting job from former NHL goalie Viktor Fasth along the way.
What This Means For The Future
Källgren likely slots in as the backup or even third-string netminder for the Toronto Marlies next season. He’s still a candidate to see some NHL time if injuries strike, however. With the Leafs expected to sign a goalie to serve in tandem with Jack Campbell, this offseason, there’s quite the logjam of AHL goalies on the roster. Veini Vehivilainen, Ian Scott, Joseph Woll, and Michael Hutchinson are all either under contract or have RFA status next season. It’s likely at least one or both of Vehvilainen or Hutchinson will be dealt in order to accommodate Källgren in addition to prospects Woll and Scott.
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