As the 2024 Prospects Challenge continues at LECOM Harborcenter, there are news and notes to catch up on with several other system players not in attendance at the event.
Topias Leinonen will enter the Hockey Allsvenskan regular season with a good level confidence after posting a perfect 4-0 record, including one shutout, in the exhibition schedule with his new club, Mora IK. The massive 6-foot-5 netminder has looked comfortable in the early stages of what is no doubt a crucial developmental season, allowing five goals through the four victories.
Mora, who currently holds the seventh-best odds to win the 14-team division at 13/1, begins their regular season campaign September 20th at Ostersund. Leinonen backstopped his club to an 8-2 preseason win against Ostersund on September 5th.
Elsewhere in Sweden’s top league, Linus Sjodin has displayed a scoring knack in Rogle’s preseason action, potting three goals while appearing in all six of Rogle’s preseason contents. Sjodin, who netted three goals in 52 SHL contests last season, will likely serve as Rogle’s fourth centerman when they kick off the regular season September 21 at Farjestad.
The rehabilitation of TPS Turku centerman Viljami Marjala, who was injured in an August 29th game against Assat, is progressing as expected. Pending continued progress, Marjala could return to action in two weeks. It may be worth circling the back-to-back games that TPS has with Assat on September 27th and 28th as his potential regular season debut.
From the USHL, the Green Bay Gamblers snuck in a key update this week when on Thursday’s game sheet listed Vasily Zelenov with an NCAA commitment to the University of Wisconsin.
Zelenov played a full season professionally in 2023-24 in the AlpsHL, but perhaps the fact that he did so on a junior contract preserved his NCAA eligibility and made it simpler to navigate the sometimes tricky waters.
While the Zelenov commitment has not been made official, it does seem as of now that the Sabres will have two prospects from the 2024 draft class wearing Badgers uniforms in the near future. Youngstown Phantoms defenseman Luke Osburn expressed his verbal commitment to Wisconsin in August of 2023.
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