Time for a change
Ready to move on from his NHL dream, Senators prospect Lassi Thomson signs in Sweden
Lassi Thomson is heading home. The Ottawa Senators' first-round pick in the 2019 National Hockey League draft has decided to put his dream of making the club on the shelf and left the organization Monday to sign overseas in Europe.
Selected No. 19 overall by the Senators, Thomson, 23, signed a contract with the Malmo in the Swedish Elite League. Unable to crack the Senators after four years in North America, Thomson decided it was time to move on.
He suited up for only 18 NHL games over four seasons spent mainly with the club's American Hockey League affiliate, and wasn't brought up at all this season. This likely is the best decision for Thomson because he has the opportunity to be a dominant player in the Swedish league.
Thomson suited up for 202 games in his AHL career with Belleville. He posted 24 goals and 93 points in that stretch, but struggled to stay in the lineup during the club's recent trip to the playoffs. He was a healthy scratch in one game of the postseason.
“I am very happy to have signed for Malmo,” Thomson said in a statement released by the club Monday.” “This will be a fresh start for me in a new organization that I have heard many good things about.”
Belleville was eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs in Round 2 Saturday night by the Cleveland Monsters in a 3-1 loss in the best-offive series.
This deal had been in the works for a while and was speculated about months ago because Thomson knew his days were numbered here. General manager Pierre Dorion was fired last November and former assistant GM Trent Mann parted ways with the club last summer.
That means anybody with any ties to Thomson is no longer with the organization.
The reality is Thomson had been bypassed on the club's depth chart and as a restricted free agent he likely wasn't going to get a qualifying offer. To be effective, he has to play with a rugged style, but his play in Belleville had slipped in the last couple of years.
He likely knew the writing was on the wall in the organization and jumped at the opportunity to get a contract overseas. Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, tried to move Thomson at the March trade deadline but was unsuccessful.
This is a return to Thomson's European roots. He started his pro career in Finland as an 18-year-old and will get the opportunity to try to help Malmo return to respectability.
“My expectations are of course high. I know the team didn't make the playoffs last season, so to get there is a big deal. The most important thing for me is to help the team win and contribute with my experience,” said Thomson.
Naturally, the Redhawks are happy to have him. He's 6-foot, 195-pounds and may be able to bring a physical element if Thomson can get back to playing that way. He signed a two-year deal with Malmo, and he would have had a difficult time getting that kind of security in North Amerca.
“Lassi is a very interesting and exciting right-shooting defender at a good age. He is mobile on the skates, calm with the puck and has a heavy shot from the blue line,” said Malmo GM Bjorn Liljander. “We're very happy that Lassi is coming to us to continue developing as a player and take his game to the next level.”
Thomson won't be the only player we will see leave the organization during what will be a busy off-season for the Senators. There's new management in town and new coach Travis Green doesn't have any ties with these players either so that means changes will be made.
That's just the way it goes.
Staios needs to decide if he's going to give a qualifying offer to restricted free agent defenceman Erik Brannstrom. He was acquired as part of the Mark Stone deal with the Vegas Golden Knights by Dorion.
Coming off a one-year deal at $2 million, Brannstrom either could be dealt before the NHL draft in June in Las Vegas or the club could simply not tender him a qualifying offer and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent.
Brannstrom has established himself as NHL defenceman with the club, but there is simply no room for him on this blue line if, as expected, Tyler Kleven starts with the Senators next season after spending a full year in Belleville.
Staios and the Senators also tried to deal Brannstrom at the deadline but weren't able to find any takers.
Another player to keep an eye on is winger Egor Sokolov, because his future in the organization is also clouded at best. He had a tough time getting a deal done with the Senators last fall and the time may have come for both sides to simply move on from each other.
This will be a fresh start for me in a new organization that I have heard many good things about.
Lassi Thomson