Blackhawks defenseman prospect Jakub Galvas signed a two-year contract Wednesday with Mikkelin Jukurit, who play in Finland’s top league, Liiga. Czech newspaper Denik Sport first reported the move in April.
Galvas, who turns 20 years old in June, scored four goals and 17 points in 40 regular-season games for HC Olomouc in Czech Extraliga then added one goal in a seven-game playoff series. The left-handed blue liner had one assist in five games for the Czech Republic at the World Junior Championship.
Galvas, who was drafted in the fifth round in 2017 by Chicago, has played the past three seasons for HC Olomouc’s senior team, recording seven goals and 36 points in 118 games.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder joins Jukurit, who was promoted to Liiga in 2016. Jukurit has finished 11th, 13th and 14th in its three seasons in Liiga.
Defenseman Joni Tuulola was the last Blackhawks prospect to play in Liiga in 2018. The 2015 sixth-rounder spent his first four seasons with HPK before leaving for Vaasan Sport in April 2017. He scored a career-high seven goals and 30 points the next season before signing a two-year contract with the Blackhawks after the season. He’s currently with Chicago’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, where he had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 52 games this past season.