Although the NHL Free Agency market quickly ran cold, teams in the Swedish Hockey League are continuing to build their rosters. Three teams have added a new player over the past couple of days.
Timrå sign Max Eisenmenger
Timrå have added 25-year-old German national team centre Max Eisenmenger on a two-year contract.
The 6’4″ forward spent the 2023-24 season with Adler Mannheim in the DEL, where he played 41 times and contributed 10 points. He is no stranger to Swedish hockey as he grew up in the country, coming through the junior ranks at Södertälje and Djurgården. He also spent the 2022-23 season in the HockeyAllsvenskan with Tingsryds.
This will be his first step up to the SHL, aside from 2 appearances for Djurgården as an 18-year-old. He’s a two-way centre, but more known for his defensive work and face-off ability than someone who you would expect to be racking up too many attacking points.
Frölunda sign Arttu Ruotsalainen
Frölunda have been looking for two new forwards following the departures of Malte Strömwall to Switzerland with Rapperswil-Jona Lakers and Jere Innala to the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche.
Arttu Ruotsalainen will fill one of those vacancies after his signing was confirmed on Friday.
The Finnish forward made 35 appearances in the NHL for the Buffalo Sabres across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before heading back to Europe, spending the past two seasons in the Swiss National League. He amassed 42 points in 52 games for Kloten in 2022-23 before moving on to Lugano in 2023-24 where his production took a downturn with 14 points in 43 games.
He has good pedigree though and should fit in well at Frölunda.
Växjö sign Otto Koivula
Växjö Lakers were another team searching for some fire power after losing two key forwards this summer, in the form of Kalle Kossila and Marcus Sylvegård.
Tanner Kero was one of the names linked to the Lakers before he signed for SHL rivals HV71, but another of the rumoured former NHL/AHL targets has been secured in Otto Koivula.
Koivula did make 28 appearances in the NHL for the New York Islanders across three seasons, but spent all of the 2023-24 season with their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders. He was an unrestricted free agent this summer and has decided to return to Europe on a two-year contract.
The 6’5″ Finn has the type of power forward game that should really add an extra dimension to Växjö’s offensive options and it would be no surprise if he impresses enough in the SHL to make his way back to the NHL at some point.
