Viktor Lodin

August 2023 – Lodin was not qualified by the Senators and instead signed a two-year contract with IK Oskarshamn in the SHL. He will be 26 when his contract expires and the Senators do not own his rights anymore. Pat Quinn

April 2023 – There is no question that Lodin took a step back in an injury-plagued 2022-2023. He managed just 28 games in the AHL with Belleville where he had six goals and nine assists. He’s a restricted free agent this year, so it will be interesting to see if Ottawa sees enough from him to keep him in North America for 2023-2024. Grant Campbell

November 2022 – The Senators have high hopes for Lodin who has some offensive flair to his game. He missed three weeks in late October and early November and has only played eight games so far in the AHL, where he has three goals and three assists. After eighteen career AHL games he has eight goals on 18 SOG, which is a rather unsustainable 44.4 shooting percentage. Grant Campbell

April 2022 – Lodin has made the transition to the AHL quite well after seven games as he has four goals and an assist with Belleville. He plays with confidence and seems willing to try plays that might not translate in the NHL. If he puts together a few more solid games with Belleville, his name will be on the lips of a few more people in Ottawa. He has good size, a good shot, above average skating and displays above average skills, which should be a recipe to get him to the NHL if he displays good habits away from the puck. Grant Campbell

April 2022 – Lodin has been assigned to Belleville in the AHL following Timra IK’s relegation to the HockeyAllsvenskan. The 22-year-old should make his North American debut with Belleville sooner than later as they look to finish first in the AHL North Division this season. He is a very intriguing player as he has displayed high-end skills at times and skates very well. Grant Campbell

August 2020 – What once seemed sure is now delayed. Viktor Lodin is not coming to North America amid all of the uncertainty in the world with the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, he has opted to sign in the Allsvenskan with Timrå IK, the second-tier Swedish league. While this means that Lodin’s arrival will be delayed another year, it is reasonable to assume that this will be best for his development with the North American sports leagues all struggling to open up and stay healthy, especially outside of the ‘Bubble’ leagues. The AHL is uncertain and that would likely have been Lodin’s landing spot so this is a smart move from the young man. Tony Ferrari

March 2020 – It seems Viktor Lodin is coming to North America next season. He announced on his Instagram page that he will be leaving the SHL and Örebro next season. His next step is likely North America where he will develop with the Belleville Senators next season. Lodin is an intriguing prospect but one that comes with questions as well. He seems to have all the skills to be successful but hasn’t put it together at any meaningful level yet. He was a point-per-game player in the SuperElit last year but he was one of the older players in the league. This season he was just okay at the Allsvenskan level and while he shows competence at the SHL level, he hasn’t shown an ability to be a difference-maker. Should he get adequate time to develop with Belleville, he could turn into a capable middle-six player at the NHL level eventually. Tony Ferrari

November 2019 – With the limited opportunity at the SHL level, Lodin was loaned from Örebro HK to HC Vita Hästen of the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier men’s league in Sweden. Prior to his demotion, Lodin had just two assists in 13 games and his ice time had been limited severely (6:29 average TOI) so for both his development sake, he was sent to HC Vita Hästen in order to regain his form, begin to produce and work his way up the prospect ladder of the Senators organizational depth chart. Drafted as an overaged player this past June, it’s expected that the organization will be looking for him to make strides fairly quickly. Tony Ferrari 

August 2019 – The selection of Viktor Lodin in the fourth round, 94th overall, came as a surprise to many. The overage forward has decent size and above-average skating ability. He won’t blow anyone away with his straight-line speed but he is extremely shifty in close quarters. He has a good first step and strong push when changing direction, he is able to maneuver himself out of a phone booth. While he shows promising creativity, he has been unable to make anything of it. His flashes of offensive potential in junior hockey in the SuperElit but wasn’t able to produce in the SHL as of yet. He was in a limited, bottom-six role which may have been a factor but he will need to establish himself in the top-six to prove that the raw tools translate. He may be able to eventually carve out a middle-six role after further development in the SHL where his contract with Örebro runs through this upcoming season. After next year, a decision on whether to stay in Sweden or come over to North America will need to be made but an NHL role is unlikely at that point. Lodin is a long-term project, possibly requiring multiple years in the SHL and AHL before he is truly NHL ready. Tony Ferrari