If it was not clear it Johan SödergranThe time with the Los Angeles Kings was over, it is now. The young forward has signed a two-year contract with MODO in Sweden’s second tier.

Sodergran, 22, signed his initial contract with Los Angeles in 2019, but he only played 55 games in North America. This season, he passed only seven times for Ontario Reign before being loaned out to the DEL, where he ended up winning a league championship with the Eisbaren Berlin. In 2020-21, he also played abroad, loaned to Almtuna IS in the Allsvenskan before he suffered a back injury that ended his year.

Given how much he struggled to produce during his time with Ontario, Sodergran was already a candidate to go unqualified this off-season. It probably will not happen now that he has signed abroad, but a return to the Kings organization is certainly not on the horizon. The team will be able to retain their exclusive rights by handing out the qualifying bid, but unless he experiences a real breakout, another NHL contract may not be waiting his way.

It makes sense for a prospect like Södergran to take his talents elsewhere, given how many prospects there are in King’s pipeline. Even with some of the top names graduating, there is another set of 19-year-olds who will soon join the Reign attack, those who will need a lot of playing time to continue their development. If there is any chance that Södergran takes his game to a new level, it is probably the best option to play in Sweden.