Filip Berglund

December 2020 – Four years after being drafted, on May 1st, the Edmonton Oilers announced that they had signed Filip Berglund to a two-year entry-level contract. After point totals of nine, 13, and 11 in his first three seasons with Skelleftea AIK of the SHL, the Swedish rearguard saw his point total jump to 20 in 52 games last year. For this season, Berglund got off to a solid start with three points in seven games but has gone pointless in his last four. His three points in 11 games while on loan to Linkoping HC of the SHL is a similar points pace to what he has produced in his SHL career aside from last season. The young Swede is playing around three minutes more per game this season than he did last year but it is important to note that Linkoping is a weaker team in the SHL that currently sits third last in the league with a 5-10-4-1 record. Offense is not the name of the game with Berglund though as he is more effective in his own end and has a similar playing style to current Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman, Adam Larsson. Berglund’s skating was a major question mark when he was drafted but he has shown improvement in that regard since then. Obviously, once he is over in North America competing for a spot on the Oilers, it will be easier to gauge his skating. Berglund could potentially get some looks in camp but being that there is a lot of competition for the remaining left side spot on the bottom pair as well as for the seventh defenseman role, I feel it is unlikely that he makes the team. It is also important to note that Berglund is a right-handed defenseman with Tyson Barrie, Ethan Bear, Adam Larsson currently ahead of him as righties who will be on the team not to mention Evan Bouchard and William Lagesson who are right-handed prospects also vying for spots and likely ahead of him on the depth chart. Time will tell but he should at least be a strong addition to the Bakersfield Condors blueline this season. Jameson Ewasiuk