Per Hockeybuzz’s Bill Meltzer, who initially brought this to our attention courtesy of a report from Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet and received confirmation from Paul Holmgren shortly after, Robert Hagg, the defenseman who was the Flyers’ second-round draft pick in 2013, has been signed to an entry-level contract.
Aftonbladet : Flyers have signed Robert Hägg to an ELC. Leaves Mon to finish season in AHL.
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) March 21, 2014
This is the Aftonbladet report that Flyers have signed Hägg. Working on confirmation. http://t.co/S009fM24xb
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) March 21, 2014
Confirmed by Paul Holmgren. The Flyers have agreed to terms with Robert Hägg. He will be here on Monday.
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) March 21, 2014
We are still awaiting an official announcement from the Flyers and do not know of financial terms, but the deal is likely for three years. (Update: The Flyers announced the signing around 10 a.m. on Friday.)
Hagg, who turned 19 in February, spent the entire 2013-14 season playing at Sweden’s highest level in the SHL (Swedish Hockey League) with MODO. Unfortunately, due to a crowded blue line there, he struggled to pick up a ton of ice time, and picked up just six points (one goal, five assists) in 50 games while playing 13:07 per game (via).
More on Robert Hagg
More on Robert Hagg
Meltzer also mentioned earlier this week, courtesy of another Swedish report, that Hagg was potentially looking to play for a different SHL team, Brynas, next year due to wanting a better opportunity and potentially also being closer to his home. Of course, for the Flyers, the alternative was to see if he had any interest in coming on over to North America now, and it looks like that is the case.
Hagg will almost certainly play the remainder of the season in the AHL with the Phantoms on an amateur tryout contract and will have his entry-level deal kick in next year. In addition, I think (though I’m not 100 percent certain) that if Hagg does not play at all in the NHL next year, his deal will “slide” an additional season and will not start until the 2015-16 year (Rule 9.1d of the new CBA does not suggest that the slide rule doesn’t apply to AHLers, so I think this is the case).
We profiled Hagg recently as the ninth-ranked overall prospect in our Top 25 Under 25. That would put him above any player currently in Adirondack (with the potential exception of Shayne Gostisbehere, if he heads to the AHL next year), and you would figure that the Flyers prioritize his development over most of the guys currently with the Phantoms. As such, despite another somewhat-crowded blue line in Adirondack, the organization likely figures to give Hagg much more of a role than he had in Sweden.
