Joacim Eriksson

[DAXflyer]

We let him walk. Why? Has anyone signed him? Terp used to always link us to updates of his games/results. Seemed liked the best thing we had going for a long time. I read somewhere that they let him go because Bob came along so well.

Bobrovsky has left the building....

Please go sign this kid, unless I am missing something really obvious. Does he secretly suck while putting up awesome numbers in the SEL?

It is infuriating to stare future awesome goalie in the face and say..... meh (Bob and Joacim)

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=113834

http://www.eurohockey.com/player/92946-joacim-eriksson.html

[doom88]

I asked this very question yesterday. There is more to the story that we don't know about.

[hf101]

I do not think anyone signed him. We let him walk I believe because of changes in the US - Sweden transfer agreement that meant players had to have an Entry Level Contract within 2yrs of being drafted or lose him. I doubt the Flyers thought he was ready to commit to the ELC. For at the time of the decision Eriksson just changed teams from the junior league to the Elite league and was only getting ice-time as a back-up goalie. Eriksson probably preferred to stay in Sweden in the Elite league also rather than play in juniors in Canada.

In January that rule was changed so now Teams can hold on to their draft picks until the age of 22.

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/1/7/3847772/nhl-sweden-transfer-agreement

[doom88]

@hf101

Thanks!

[hf101]

@doom88

Sure.

I would think Eriksson is still on the Flyer's radar. Other than Stolarz and another year of Heeter there really isn't anyone else next season. Stolarz is 19 and doesn't qualify to play in the AHL next season, so I think it is possible Eriksson could be considered for the position if he chooses to play in the US.

[ctid]

this is from Bill Meltzer in 2011:

"

Flyers fans were stunned when they decided not to sign Joacim Eriksson. His first two seasons since drafting him were very impressive, albeit at lower levels, but then he had a rather forgettable season in the Elitserien. It appeared to me Skelleftea never gave him much of a chance to start and perhaps they weren’t the best situation for him. Do you think the Flyers gave up on him too soon?

The Flyers didn’t give up on him but they had a tough decision to make. Basically, Eriksson was in the same situation with the Flyers this year that Hovinen was in the final year that his rights belonged to the Wild. The team that drafted him had two choices.

Option one was to sign him to an entry-level contract and loan him back to SAIK for at least one season, hope he adapted quickly to the AHL in the second year and was NHL ready by the third and final year of his entry-level contract. That would have required a pretty big leap of faith, considering that he has yet to be a starter in Elitserien and had a rather so-so rookie year as SAIK’s backup. The other option was to relinquish his rights, keep on evaluating him and potentially sign him as a free agent down the line (which might require outbidding other NHL clubs). Either way, there was risk involved in the decision.

If the Flyers hadn’t signed Hovinen this year, they probably would have taken the chance on signing Eriksson to an entry level contract. The book isn’t closed on Eriksson as an NHL prospect, even as a potential future Flyer. He just wasn’t ready now, and the rules no longer work in favor of drafting young players out of European teams.

Under the old rules, NHL teams held the rights to players drafted from European teams basically for as long as they wanted. It was not uncommon for a drafted player to come over even in his mid-20s. That’s no longer the case, at least for countries (Sweden, Finland) where there is a transfer agreement in place. NHL teams are still holding onto the rights of players drafted from Czech Extraliga or KHL teams, which is how the Flyers still hold the rights to Jakub Kovar (drafted in 2006) but not Eriksson (drafted in 2008)."

So yeah, I think hf101 is spot on...

Edited March 24, 2013 by ctid

[hf101]

Update:

According to twitter, @billmeltzer

Eriksson reportedly mulling several NHL offers but won't decide about future til after season. No idea if Flyers are one of teams.