Flyers sign Swedish forward Oscar Eklind to a one-year contract

While the Flyers’ players are hyper-focused on the team’s final four games and trying to make the playoffs, general manager Danny Brière has maintained that the priority for the organization is the future and building a “Stanley Cup contender for years to come.”

On Monday evening, he made an intriguing move to that end, signing Swedish forward Oscar Eklind to a one-year, entry-level contract. The deal is for the 2024-25 season and will pay Eklind $950,000.

The first thing you need to know about the 25-year-old Eklind is that he is big. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, the left winger’s combination of size, speed, and skill makes him an interesting addition. This season with Luleå of the Swedish Hockey League, he had a team-best 17 goals and 11 assists in 48 games. The season represented a significant step forward for Eklind, who nearly doubled his previous best in points (16) while establishing himself as a true power forward. In his career, Eklind has 58 points (30 goals, 28 assists) and 125 penalty minutes in 160 SHL games.

On a Flyers team loaded with undersized wingers like Cam Atkinson, Travis Konecny, and Bobby Brink, Eklind will bring a different type of game predicated on size and getting downhill. Considered a good skater, especially for his height, Eklind also doesn’t shy away from contact, as he led Luleå in hits this season with 60.

While it remains to be seen how his game will translate to North America, Eklind, who was never drafted, has the type of tools and profile worth gambling on. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who closely covers prospects, recently wrote the following about Eklind, who was considered one of the top European free agents available:

Eklind has developed well this season, becoming a top scorer for Lulea. He has an athletic tool kit of an NHL forward. He’s a 6-foot-4 winger who skates quite well for his size. He has a powerful frame, plays physically, and can bully his way to the net due to his strength and speed. Eklind has good hands and can finish plays. I don’t think he sees the ice at a super-high level, though. He has the makings of a potential bottom-six wing in the NHL.

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In recent seasons, the Flyers’ brass has said it is looking to add players with size and skill via the draft and free agency. Eklind, who is expected to compete for an NHL roster spot with the Flyers next fall, certainly fits the bill.