The Canadian has just confirmed the news announced by The Press Monday morning on Twitter: Mattias Norlinder will join the Laval Rocket for the playoffs.
Posted at 3:23 p.m.
The 22-year-old young defender, drafted in the third round in the 2019 vintage, left America to join his club Frolunda in December, but as the CH organization officially loaned him to his Swedish club for the rest of in the winter, it remained eligible for the American League playoffs.
Norlinder, an offensive defenseman, was unconvincing in his return to Sweden, with two assists in 21 regular season games, but he regained his offensive brilliance in the playoffs with six assists in nine games. The Rocket is counting on a solid defense with Xavier Ouellet, Corey Schueneman, Sami Niku, Tobie Bisson and Tory Bello, but Louie Belpedio has just fallen in battle.
The playoffs begin this Friday and Saturday in Syracuse, and will move to Place Bell the following Thursday and Saturday. Norlinder had one assist in six games with the Canadiens and one assist in six games with the Laval Rocket earlier this season.