Washington Capitals prospect Alexander Suzdalev appears to be North America-bound once again. Suzdalev, who was loaned by the Capitals to Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan for the year, has been dealt by the Regina Pats to the Saskatoon Blades in a blockbuster WHL trade.
Given the details of the deal, Suzdalev’s stint in Sweden’s second-tier league appears to have reached a premature end. The 19-year-old winger has been playing the second-fewest minutes per game on Mora IK and was recently placed on the fourth line. He has just three points (2g, 1a) in 13 games.
BLOCKBUSTER TRADE 🚨
The Saskatoon Blades have acquired superstar @Capitals prospect Alexander Suzdalev from the Regina Pats!
DETAILS 📰 | https://t.co/fuAfCSIPU7 pic.twitter.com/PXqczefkwW
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 31, 2023
The trade sees Suzdalev sent to Saskatoon (Braden Holtby’s junior hockey team) in return for three younger, developing players as well as three draft picks. Last season, Suzdalev starred in the WHL with the Pats, recording 86 points (38g, 48a) in 66 games. That total saw him rank first among all WHL rookies in scoring, besting the next-highest scorer by 28 points.
Over the full course of the season, he had seven games with at least three points. He then added 10 more (3g, 7a) in seven playoff appearances against his new team, the Blades.
“We feel Alex is one of the most exciting junior hockey players in the world,” Blades general manager and president Colin Priestner said in a release. “His performance in the playoffs against us last year was incredible and his excitement to return to the WHL and come to Saskatoon made this an easy decision for us.”
The Blades will add Suzdalev to an already stacked roster that includes Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten and Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk. Saskatoon is going all in as they’re anticipating a deep postseason run and a Memorial Cup challenge.
Between-the-legs, Michigan goal, what can’t Suzdalev do???@Capitals | #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Rmy866vGQr
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 31, 2023
Suzdalev originally started this season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, but after not factoring into any of the team’s first 11 games, made a joint decision to return to his home country and play against older players.
This season was already supposed to see Suzdalev play one more year in the WHL. Under normal circumstances as a 19-year-old, he would be required to return to the CHL due to the CHL-NHL Transfer Agreement. But, since Suzdalev falls in an exception zone due to being drafted out of Europe before heading to Regina, he was able to turn pro earlier than most of his junior teammates.
Bears head coach Todd Nelson recently explained why Suzdalev wasn’t able to stick in Hershey this season and perhaps provided insight into why the same thing seemingly happened over in Europe.
“Suzdalev, he’s only 19,” Nelson said. “He came here and we had a lot of bodies and he’s a guy that’s still a kid. He has to get stronger. In the exhibition games, we played him. He’s just gotta mature. He played a bit tentative. There wasn’t really room for him to play and he has to play. These guys have to play to get better and he wasn’t going to get a lot of ice time here so it’s not a good thing for him to come here and ride the bench or sit out.”
When exactly Suzdalev will make his way back to Canada is not yet known. Once he does, the Capitals will have three prospects plying their trade in the WHL.
2023 second-round draft pick Andrew Cristall is dominating with the Kelowna Rockets while 2023 seventh-round selection Brett Hyland is amid his fifth season with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Update (1/4): The Capitals officially re-assigned Suzdalev to the WHL’s Blades.
NEWS | The Capitals have re-assigned forward Alexander Suzdalev from Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden-2) to the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL). https://t.co/dYFp7QQqhA
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 4, 2024
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
