Philadelphia Flyers sign forward Oscar Eklind to one-year, entry-level contract

Eklind comes over from his native Sweden where he has spent the entirety of his career. The 25-year-old is coming off his best season in the Swedish Elite League, scoring 17 goals and 28 points in 48 games in his first season with Luleå HF.

He made his way up the minor hockey ranks in the Malmo Redhawks system, playing a few games for the big club in the SHL during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Eklind has bounced around at the professional level, playing with IK Pantern and Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan before returning to the SHL with Brynäs IF in 2021.

In 176 SHL games, Eklind has scored 32 goals and 29 assists, with another 33 goals and 39 assists in his 191-game HockeyAllsvenskan career.

Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis recently discussed Eklind as one of the top free agents coming out of Europe. Ellis says Eklind’s 6-foot-4 frame makes him a scoring threat in the high-dangerous areas, a net-front presence capable of causing havoc.

With the signing, the Flyers have 36 of a possible 50 standard player contracts signed for next season. According to CapFriendly, Philadelphia is projected to have a little over $2 million in cap space.

The current Flyers (36-31-11) have stumbled out of a playoff spot. They sit tied for ninth in the Eastern Conference, one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final Wild Card spot. They are also two points back of the New York Islanders for third in the Metropolitan Division.