( Photo Credit: Providence Bruins / Flickr )

By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter @BlackAndGold277

On Thursday afternoon this week, the Boston Bruins placed former defensive prospect Victor Berglund on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination per SportsNet’s insider Elliotte Friedman. The 23-year-old Sweden native was in his second season with the top minor-pro affiliate of the Bruins organization appearing in five games and contributing one assist.

Yesterday afternoon Victor successfully passed through the 24-hour waiver process, officially terminating the three-year, entry-level contract Berglund and the Bruins organization agreed on in June of 2022. This morning in somewhat surprising news, the former Bruins defenseman did, in fact, return overseas. Most thought his new location would be his native country and the Swedish Hockey League, but it’s now official a higher bidder, and Scandinavian neighbor was a more attractive offer.

Per the HIFK official team website, the Liiga club in Finland signed the defenseman to a comprehensive contract to finish the season overseas. Also, it’s reported that Berglund will be with his new HIFK team as soon as Monday. This morning HIFK Sports Director Tobias Salmelainen said, “We have been looking for a puck defender since the departure of Joonas Lyytinen. We were after Victor for a long time, and it’s great that we got him to Finland and HIFK. We were by no means the only club after him because European clubs are thirsty for these defenders.”

Berglund, a 6′-1″ 183-pound defenseman, was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 National Hockey League entry draft held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Last season was his first year playing in North America, and Victor appeared in 46 games, posting 6-12-18 numbers. This was the final year of Berglund’s three-year ELC, so it seems the player might’ve seen the landscape ahead of him, opting for this opportunity to get more playing time closer to home. I doubt this is the last North American hockey we see from the talented Berglund. Victor could use this opportunity to increase NHL interest if any club wanted to sign him as a free agent at the close of this current hockey season.