Forward Victor Ejdsell will return to Sweden to play for Färjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League on a two-year contract after one full season with the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Ejdsell is a restricted free agent so the Blackhawks will retain his NHL rights.
Ejdsell scored 12 goals and 29 points in 61 AHL games for the IceHogs, who missed the Calder Cup playoffs this past season. The 6-foot-5, 214-pounder only had one assist in six NHL games for the Blackhawks during the 2017-18 season after he was acquired in the Ryan Hartman trade with the Predators in February 2018.
Ejdsell, who turns 24 in June, previously played in the Färjestad BK organization from 2013-16 on their junior and SHL teams. Färjestad BK finish atop the SHL with 101 points during the regular season last season, but fell in seven games to Djurgårdens IF in the semifinals.
The Blackhawks have signed the other two acquisitions from the Hartman trade with defenseman Nicolas Beaudin and center Philipp Kurashev, who were both drafted in 2018 with first- and fourth-round picks, respectively. Kurashev didn’t record a point in three games with the IceHogs after his junior season ended with the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL, while Beaudin was still playing for the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL playoffs. Both players are expected to play for Rockford next season.
The deadline for NHL teams to submit qualifying offers to RFAs is June 25.