Lias Andersson left the New York Rangers in the middle of last season and finished it in HV71.
Rangers then wanted the Swede back to the NHL's start - but Andersson chose to say no.
Since then, Andersson has remained in Jönköping and is now an important piece of the puzzle in an HV71 that is tipped by many to be a top team in the SHL this season.
Switched to Kings
The NHL draft started last night and recently the second draft round ended.
There, the New York Rangers chose to third Lias Andersson to the Los Angeles Kings and got draft pick number 60 in exchange where they picked in the promising forward, Will Cuylle.
Lias Andersson now belongs to the Los Angeles Kings, where he has the opportunity to become a teammate with another Swede in Adrian Kempe.
"He's going nowhere"
The next NHL season is expected to start in January, but even then Lias will not be in Los Angeles, says HV71's sports director, Johan Hult.
- Lias will be here the rest of the season and will be nowhere.
The only thing is that this opens for him to continue his season in the NHL when we are done with our season this spring.
But that possibility had existed regardless of whether he belonged to Rangers, Kings or any other NHL club, says Hult and continues:
- Lias has declared early that he wants and will be here throughout this season.
That's how everything is designed.
HV71 plays the next match on Thursday when they meet Skellefteå away.