Heading into his 7th pro season, former Vancouver Canucks‘ Swedish-born goaltender prospect Joakim Eriksson(30) has decided to not stick around for restricted free agency to start signing a year contract with Dinamo Riga of the KHL for 2015/2016.
Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#196 overall), he agreed to a two-year entry level deal with Vancouver in 2013 after 4 seasons of playing mostly in the SHL for Skelleftea posting extraordinarily good numbers and winning the 2013 Championship with a 1.06 GAA and .956 SV%.
In two campaigns on reassignment with affiliate Utica Comets he amassed a crazy 93 games between the pipes with 46-34 record and a 2.57 GAA and .909 SV%.
The 6’2″ 196 lbs. net minder also had 5 shutouts, all in his North American rookie season, and appeared in two Calder Cup Playoff games in relief that ended in the Final round.
The 25-year old very likely saw the logjam that is the parent club’s situation in net moving forward and has decided to move on instead of staying in the minors.