Jack Berglund signs entry-level contract with Flyers after starring for Sweden in World Junior Championship
After captaining Sweden to its first World Junior Championship gold medal since 2012, Jack Berglund is coming to North America.
The Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday signed Berglund, who turns 20 on Friday, to a three-year entry-level contract. Flyers general manager Danny Briere announced Berglund's contract will begin in 2026-27.
Berglund will report to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League for the team's final five regular-season games.
The Phantoms are four points out of the final playoff spot in the AHL's Eastern Conference, but Berglund is not postseason eligible because he was not on Lehigh Valley's roster by 3 p.m. on March 6, the NHL's trade deadline.
By having Berglund join the Phantoms now, it will allow the Swede to get acclimated to the North American rink, smaller in size than the one he played on in Sweden. He will likely have a chance at cracking the Flyers' roster in training camp in September.
The Flyers selected Berglund with the 51st overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. The 6-foot-4, 217-pound centerman is coming off his first full season in the Swedish Hockey League, scoring seven goals and 12 points in 40 games for Färjestad BK.
Berglund starred for Team Sweden as its captain during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. He finished the tournament tied for the team lead with 10 points, scoring three goals and picking up seven helpers. He also led the tourney with a plus-9 rating.
In Sweden's 4-2 win over Czechia in the gold medal game, Berlund had two assists in 17:43 of ice time.
Berglund is now the fourth member of the Flyers' 2024 draft class to sign his entry-level contract and sixth prospect to join the organization over the past month.
The Flyers signed Porter Martone, Noah Powell, Cole Knuble, Alex Ciernik and Riley Thompson to their ELCs over the past month.
Martone is already in the NHL and helping the orange and black as they seek to make the NHL playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
The 19-year-old Martone has four points in five games with a plus-3 rating. He scored his first career goal as an overtime winner Sunday, lifting the Flyers past the Boston Bruins in overtime to put them back in playoff position for the first time since January.
The Flyers' playoff push continues Thursday night in Detroit against the Red Wings. Philadelphia, with 92 points, is in third place in the Metropolitan Division with four games remaining, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
