190815 Malmö Redhawks Jesper Jensen Aabo mot HV71:s Linus Sandin under träningsmatchen i ishockey mellan Malmö Redhawks och HV71 den 15 augusti 2019 i Malmö. Foto: Christian Örnberg / BILDBYRÅN / Cop 166
Linus Sandin was amongst the league’s highest goal scorers with 19 in the SHL for HV71 last season, as he finished tied for third in this particular category. This smooth skating Winger in Sandin finished the season with 36 points (19g,17a) in 51 games played for HV71. The 23-year-old Winger in Sandin stands at 6’1″ and weighs 209 pounds, and immediately provides much needed size on the Wing. Sandin can board battle with the best of them, and that is an area that needs improvement for the up-coming 2020-21 season.
Sandin bops and weaves in between defenders, and can out skate just about anyone given his size. This young man has really made a name for himself, as he has hands of Gold after potting goal after goal. He is versatile as Sandin plays in all situations to include the Penalty Kill and Power Play. A great quality that he possesses is he’s an intense competitor. Sandin is the real deal, and the Flyers are very familiar with the HV71 team (Felix Sandstrom formerly played for HV71). He is the older brother of Rasmus Sandin, and is from the same town as Robert Hagg, as well.
The good news is Sandin is off to a great start for HV71 this season. The Flyers loaned him to the HV71 team a few months ago for playing time, due to the uncertainty with Covid-19 still affecting sporting league’s throughout the World. Sandin has potted two goals, and chipped in four apples for a total of nine points in six games played. He is just flying all over the ice, and really has become a solid Power Forward. Moreover, it appears he has a knack for the net, as he is averaging close to a point per game in a tough Men’s league. Sandin is expected to compete for a job in training camp in mid-late December, as he continues to showcase his skills overseas. Sandin is particularly good with zone entries, and this is another area the Flyers struggled with throughout the 2020 Playoffs at times.
“Our scouting staff has done an excellent job identifying him as a player who can come into camp and compete for a spot on our team right away. He works extremely hard and we expect him to add size, skill and tenacity to our forward group. Linus is a mature player, he’s developed in Sweden. He’s a good player already in Sweden. He has a lot of pro experience. He’s a player that should certainly have a much shorter runway than the typical 20 year old kids we’re bringing in.”– Chuck Fletcher on Linus Sandin
Whatever the case maybe for the Flyers and Sandin. The Flyers should expect an intelligent hockey player to adapt to the North American ice quickly. Sandin provides strength and durability on the right side, and also bolsters the Right-Wing position most notably. He is a two-way Power Forward who will be an intriguing piece of the Flyers future moving Forward.
It is sad, but we must trade away one of our older players while they still have a value left in them. And we might not get the return from those players we want, but, we should still do it, because the cap we save and at the same time open spot for these kid”s we have coming, like just Sandin! And we have many more prospects coming!