Almost two years after they drafted him, the Nashville Predators have finally signed Swedish winger Patrick Cehlin to a three-year, two-way contract.
Cehlin was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles, California.
Cehlin accelerates really well and has good top speed. He is an offensive minded player with good technical skills, release and creativity. Passes the puck well and is a good scorer too.
– eliteprospects.com
Expected to start with the AHL-affiliate Milwaukee Admirals next season, Cehlin will join a stable of rising stars at the forward position. 2009 third round pick Taylor Beck was a two-time 90 point guy with the Guelph Storm of the OHL, his junior and Ads teammate Michael Latta is more well rounded but still finished seventh in team scoring this year despite missing 25 games, Finnish forward Juuso Puustinen was sixth in team scoring despite missing the final two months of the season with an injury and Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick Kyle Wilson was signed last off-season to provide some scoring punch, which he did, amassing 54 points in 68 games with Milwaukee.
The official press release is below.
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Nashville, Tenn. (June 5, 2012) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed 2010 draft pick Patrick Cehlin (PAT-rihk SAY-lihn) to a three-year entry-level contract. Cehlin is expected to play his first season in North America in 2012-13.
Cehlin, 20 (7/27/91), ranked fourth on Djurgarden in both goals (10) and plus/minus rating (+1) during his third season in the Swedish Elite League (Elitserien) in 2011-12. In 2011-12, the 5-11, 170-pound right wing tied for fifth among Elitserien junior players in points (16) and assists (12), and during his rookie season on the senior circuit (2009-10), the Huddinge, Sweden native helped Djurgarden reach the League finals and earn a silver medal.
Nashville’s third choice, 126th overall (fifth round), in 2010 Entry Draft also has represented his homeland in a pair of international competitions in the last four years: he was named one of Sweden’s three best players of the 2011 World Junior Championships while tying for team lead in points (4g-2a-6pts) and tying for fifth in the tournament in goals (4), and tied for first at the 2009 U-18 World Championships in penalty minutes (37) while posting four points (2g-2a) in six games.
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