The Washington Capitals have found next season’s home for one of their prospects less than a week after Development Camp concluded.
Ludwig Persson, one of the team’s third-round draft choices from the 2022 NHL Draft, has been loaned to Jukurit of the SM-liiga in Finland. Persson moves up to the top league in the country after spending his 2023-24 campaign with IPK in the Mestis, the second-tier league in Finland.
NEWS | The Capitals have loaned forward Ludwig Persson to Jukurit of Liiga (Finland-1) for the 2024-25 season. https://t.co/OQHUU0fMpH
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 10, 2024
The 20-year-old winger has spent the past two seasons on loan since signing his entry-level contract with the Capitals. During the 2022-23 season, Persson played 45 games for BIK Karlskoga of the HockeyAllsvenskan and one game for SHL Frolunda.
Persson recorded a team-leading 55 points (10g, 45a) in 48 games while with IPK last year, earning this promotion up a level into Liiga. He finished the season ranked second in the league in assists and tied for third in points.
The Gothenburg, Sweden native added 19 points (8g, 11a) in 19 playoff games, leading IPK to the Mestis championship.
Persson was eligible to play for Hershey this season just as he was last season but the Capitals opted for another loan move. The loan is the first, official move of the Capitals’ new senior vice president and general manager, Chris Patrick.
Here’s the team’s press release:
Capitals Loan Ludwig Persson to Jukurit of Finnish Liiga
2022 third-round draft pick loaned to Finnish club for 2024-25 season
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have loaned forward Ludwig Persson to Jukurit of Liiga (Finland-1) for the 2024-25 season, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Persson will be eligible to return to North America at the conclusion of Jukurit’s 2024-25 season.
The Capitals selected Persson, 20, with the 85th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The 6’1”, 193-pound forward recorded a team-leading 55 points (10g, 45a) in 48 games while on loan to IPK of Mestis (Finland-2) in 2023-24. Persson finished the season ranked second in the league in assists and tied for third in points. The Gothenburg, Sweden native added 19 points (8g, 11a) in 19 playoff games, helping lead IPK to the Mestis league championship. Persson ranked tied for second among all skaters in goals and third in points during the postseason.
During the 2022-23 season, Persson recorded 15 points (4g, 11a) in 45 games with BIK Karlskoga of HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden-2). Persson ranked tied for ninth on the team in assists and 10th in points. Persson also appeared in one game with Frölunda of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) in 2022-23. Persson made 10 appearances with Frölunda and played 41 games with Frölunda’s junior team (Sweden-Jr.) in 2021-22, where he recorded a team-high 61 points (25g, 36a).
Internationally, Persson recorded one goal in six games for Sweden’s U-20 team in 2022-23. At the 2021 U-18 World Junior Championship, Persson recorded four points (2g, 2a) in seven games, earning a bronze medal.
