One of the Philadelphia Flyers most intriguing prospects is continuing his season in North America after signing his rookie deal with the team.
Announced on Thursday morning, the Flyers have signed 19-year-old center Jack Berglund to his three-year, entry-level contract that will start in the 2026-27 season. Additionally, the Flyers mentioned that the 6-foot-4 Swedish pivot is going to continue playing this season down in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
This could get interesting.
BREAKING: We have signed forward Jack Berglund to a three-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2026-27 season.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 9, 2026
Berglund will report to the @LVPhantoms (AHL) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
Berglund was drafted by the Flyers in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft at 51st overall and has spent all his time since then playing for his hometown team Farjestad. He is now the fourth player that the Flyers have signed from that draft class, with the others being Jett Luchanko, Spencer Gill, and most recently Noah Powell.
The Karlstad native played the majority of his games in the SHL this season, scoring seven goals and 12 points in 40 games as a bottom-six forward for one of the better teams in the league. And, his own coach has been incredibly impressed with his game, as well. More notably, he captained Team Sweden to World Juniors gold and ended up among the leading scorers in the tournament with three goals and 10 points in seven games.
Flyers sign prospect Jack Berglund to entry-level contract, goes down to AHL
There has been speculation that this would happen — Flyers signing Berglund and him continuing his season in the AHL with the Phantoms — ever since his Farjestad team were knocked out of the SHL playoffs in the first round after a disheartening Game 7 defeat to Rogle. But the specific parameters and contract details were fairly uncertain.
Berglund does still have one year remaining on his SHL contract with Farjestad, but unlike with KHL contracts, there is typically an NHL out-clause that allows drafted prospects of teams in North America, to then have their contract in Sweden end as they take the next big step to making their NHL dreams come true, and play in pro hockey over here. It’s undetermined if Berglund’s contract did have that, but considering that he wasn’t (and still not really) and established SHL player to the degree of some players in their primes lighting it up and are among the leading scorers leaguewide, Berglund’s deal most likely had this sort of way out.
But, there are still plenty of options for both Berglund and the Flyers.
Now that the 6-foot-4 center has put pen to paper, there are multiple places that he could apply his trade next season. Obviously, he could make the Flyers out of training camp, since he will be at his first NHL training camp this fall, but it would take him really leaping over the likes of Noah Cates and Christian Dvorak to get that spot — or, if Sean Couturier looks really bad and the Flyers don’t add another center this summer.
That’s the more difficult route, but Berglund could very well play his entire next season in the AHL, just one step away from the NHL, as he builds more strength and increases his pace of play with a first full season of North American pro hockey. He would be a welcome addition to what should be still a very young Phantoms team next year.
Or, the Flyers can loan him back to the SHL and he plays what would most likely be his last season with Farjestad, a club he has been a part of since he was 13 years old. That is only going to happen if there is an agreement that Berglund would be given more opportunity than he has this season in the SHL and is able to be at the very least a second-line center in the best league in Europe. That sort of opportunity and test would still be extremely good for his development before he makes the full-time jump to North America.
Berglund has expressed desire to remain in Sweden next season as he has unfinished business with Farjestad, but for now, he’s going to be with the Phantoms.
Lehigh Valley has five games left in their regular season and they currently sit four points back of the Springfield Thunderbirds for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division with a 28-33-3-3 record. Basically, they would need to most likely win the rest of their games (or close to it) to have the best chance to make the postseason.
At the very least, we get to see what Berglund is like in a more similar environment to the NHL and if he gels well with anyone down there in Allentown.
