Jets AHL Prospect Heading Back To Sweden?

Swedish defenseman Simon Lundmark, 24, is under contract with the Winnipeg Jets and has played in the AHL for the Manitoba Moose since 2021. However, his contract expires at the end of this season and Swedish media outlet Corran is reporting that SHL club Linköping HC, a club that played a significant role in Lundmark’s development, is interested in signing him.

“He’s a very talented hockey player with a past in Linköping, so of course we always want to keep an eye on that type of player,” Linköping sports director Peter Jakobsson is quoted, according to HockeyNews.se.

Born in Stockholm, Lundmark played in Linköping from 2016 to 2021, starting at the U-18 level and playing 118 SHL games with the club, recording 16 points and 18 penalty minutes.

Winnipeg selected Lundmark in the second round, 51st overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and signed him two years later. As of Jan. 8, he has 56 points and 78 penalty minutes in 220 AHL regular-season and playoff games.

Lundmark was recalled by the Jets on Dec. 23 but has yet to play an NHL game. He was back in the Moose lineup for a game on Dec. 29.

According to Julian Gaudio of THN’s Winnipeg Jets page, Lundmark is known for his defensive abilities. “Listed at 6'2, 201 lbs, Lundmark uses his size and reach to prevent zone entries and kill cycle plays,” Gaudio wrote. “He's also a very capable puck mover who rarely gets caught out of position.”

Linköping is currently 12th out of 14 teams in the SHL with 40 out of 32 points and is reportedly in need of help on defense, both in the short term and long term. The team’s captain, ex-NHL defenseman Oscar Fantenberg, is signed through 2027 but currently injured. 

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