Ottawa Senators sign Swedish defenceman Olle Alsing
The Ottawa Senators have today announced the signing of European free agent defenceman Olle Alsing on an entry-level contract.
With a number of clubs around the NHL snapping up promising European free agents, the Ottawa Senators have thrown their hat into the ring with the signing of defenceman Olle Alsing.
The 23-year-old Swedish blueliner joins the Senators on a two-year entry-level contract, with a maximum potential cap hit of $925,000 per season should he feature on the NHL roster.
The left-handed shot, who stands at 5-foot-11, 170lbs, has spent his entire playing career in his home country – building up plenty of experience in both the SHL and Allsvenskan.
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In 152 regular season games in the Allsvenskan, the second tier in the country, Alsing had 16 goals and 39 assists for 55 total points.
His showings in the second tier have helped him to make 94 regular season appearances in the SHL – one of the top leagues outside of North America.
Last season, in particular, helped Alsing’s development, with his Djurgårdens IF club reaching the SHL playoff finals – losing a six-game series to Frolunda HC.
His experience with a fairly successful team in the Swedish top tier will no doubt have helped garner attention for his services, with Alsing also posting a league-best plus/minus rating of +26.
The 23-year-old has also represented his country at various junior levels, though was never selected for any of their World Junior Championship squads.
Alsing might not jump straight into the Ottawa Senators’ top six, potentially starting out with the organisation’s AHL affiliates the Belleville Senators.
Playing regular minutes and gaining more experience playing on North American ice, which is significantly smaller than around the world, is something that Alsing will need to get under his belt to prove he is ready to jump into the line-up.
Having signed a two-year deal with the club shows that he is likely to need some extra seasoning and time to adjust to his new surroundings.
If the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch is right and there were a number of other clubs interested in signing Alsing, then the organisation could have another promising piece to their rebuild in place.
The Uppsala native will get his first opportunity to impress the organisation at development camp, which begins on June 25th.
dark. Next. Options available for Sens with the 19th pick
What do you think Sens fans? Are you pleased to see the team taking a chance on a young European free agent? Do you foresee any other signings prior to the draft in June? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!