Islanders re-sign Sebastian Aho don’t qualify RFA Linus Soderstrom

The New York Islanders made some movers with some of their RFA’s today signing Sebastian Aho and declined to qualify Linus Soderstrom.

A day before the draft and a few before the free agency period opens, the New York Islanders have made some moves with their crop of RFAs. Neither are the Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, or Devon Toews deals we are all waiting for.

Left-handed defenseman Sebastian Aho was re-signed by the team to a two-year deal, while goalie prospect

Linus Soderstrom was not qualified by the team

. Soderstrom is now an unrestricted free agent.

Sebastian Aho

According to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, the Islanders gave the fifth-round pick from 2017 a two-year deal. The second year of the deal was a one-way deal, likely indicated when the Isles feel they’ll need Aho at the NHL level. No financial terms were disclosed.

Sebastian Aho (the #Isles one) has signed a two-year deal with the team, the second year is a one-way contract. Aho, 24, hasn't played an NHL game for the #Isles since 2017-18 but was part of the bubble taxi squad in the playoffs. He has 105 points in 156 games with Bridgeport.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) October 5, 2020

Aho has been with the Sound Tigers for three seasons now and has consistently improved while in the AHL. He made the taxi squad for the playoffs in 2019-20 but never hit the ice. With the Islanders likely to lose one or maybe more defensive pieces as they try to navigate the salary cap ceiling, Aho could find his way as a depth defensive option soon.

Linus Soderstrom

Injuries derailed his time in North America. Soderstrom, a fourth-round pick in 2015, made the leap to North America in 2018 but only played four games (all in the ECHL).

He had a strong few seasons in Sweden before heading over to North America winning a Le Mat Trophy in 2016-17 with HV71. In 17 regular-season games that season, Soderstrom put up a 1.34GAA and 0.943SV%. A record that erased Henrik Lundqvist‘s previous SHL GAA record of 1.45GAA.

Soderstrom, who signed with Assat in Finland, is now an unrestricted free agent and can begin rebuilding his career in Europe. He’s already off to a strong start with a 0.923SV% win against Ruslan Iskhakov’s TPS in Assat’s season opener.

Best wished to Soderstrom as he departs the Islanders organization.

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