Blackhawks Bolster Forward Depth By Signing Swedish F Anton Wedin

The Chicago Blackhawks have won the Anton Wedin sweepstakes. Wedin chose the Blackhawks over the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Arizona Coyotes.

Anton Wedin is a 26 year old Swedish forward who has recently gained the attention of NHL teams with a breakout season for Timra IK of the SHL. Scott Powers of The Athletic reported that Wedin will sign a 1-year entry level contract with the Blackhawks.

By signing Anton Wedin, Jeremy Colliton will have another bottom-6 option to choose from for the 2019-20 season. Per Brandon M. Cain of Second City Hockey, Colliton’s familiarity with him was the deciding factor in Wedin choosing the Blackhawks.

Wedin’s role with the Blackhawks is still to be determined, but he may need a stint in Rockford to familiarize himself with the speed of North American hockey, as well as the difference in rink size. There’s no question that we will be seeing more of him during training camp and in preseason games.

Last season, the Blackhawks’ forward depth was exposed. This signing will help address that issue. This past season with Timra IK, Anton Wedin produced 27 points (14G, 13A) with a -7 ± rating in 32 games.

Anton Wedin is a left-handed winger who fills more of a playmaking role. He also possesses a fairly strong and accurate shot. At the beginning of the below clip, you see Wedin find twine with a strong wrist shot, and at the 1:56 mark, he rips a one-timer that gets redirected to the back of the net. Keep your eyes on number 57 in red.

The fact that the Blackhawks won the Anton Wedin sweepstakes is definitely a good sign. Players are starting to warm up to playing in Chicago again. Hopefully, this is the first of many key free agent signings to come for the Blackhawks this offseason.