Swede could earn spot at center next season
With two of their starting centers unrestricted free agents as of July 1, the Capitals could have multiple openings at that position next season. Swedish forward Mattias Sjogren, who signed with Washington earlier this week, expects to compete for one of those spots on the third or fourth line when training camp begins in September.
“But they can’t guarantee you anything,” Sjogren said by phone from Sweden on Thursday. “They said they want to give me a chance. They want me to play, but it’s up to me to take a chance and make the team.”
| Capitals notes |
| » Washington traded a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2013 NHL draft on Thursday to the Nashville Predators for 20-year-old prospect Taylor Stefishen, who will attend the team’s rookie development camp next month at Kettler Iceplex. |
| » Stefishen was Nashville’s fifth-round pick in 2008. He played two seasons at Ohio State with eight goals and 13 assists in 42 games with the Buckeyes. |
| » The 6-foot, 185-pound winger left school after the 2009-10 season and spent last year with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League. |
The Caps certainly could use more options at center considering how many of their unrestricted free agents play the position — Jason Arnott and Boyd Gordon, of course, and even Brooks Laich, who has sometimes played there in recent years.
The 6-foot-2, 214-pound Sjogren described himself as a defensive-oriented, two-way player with an improving offensive game. He registered 33 points in 64 games, including the playoffs, for Farjestads BK of the Swedish Elite League in 2010-11.
Sjogren was also chosen to play for Sweden’s national team for the first time, including last month at the IIHF World Championship, where his country earned a silver medal.
Sjogren said he chose Washington’s two-year, $1.8 million contract offer over a similar one from the Montreal Canadiens. He and his representatives met with as many as six NHL teams during a visit to North America last week.
Sjogren is from Landskrona in southwest Sweden — the same hometown as Caps center Marcus Johansson, who is a few years younger at 20. But Sjogren did play hockey with Johansson’s older brother, Martin, when they were young. He said he has never met star center Nicklas Backstrom, the team’s only other Swedish player.
“It helps, especially when I could call Marcus and ask him about Washington,” Sjogren said. “It wasn’t my decision just because there were other Swedes there. I had another choice with Montreal. But I’m very grateful that I could talk with someone I know.”
