Former Penguins forward Kasper Bjorkqvist signs with Ilves in Finland
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasper Bjorkqvist has signed a two-year contract with Ilves of Finland’s Liiga, the top-tier league in that country.
The transaction was announced via a release by that team Tuesday. The contract allows the 26-year-old to opt out of the second year to play abroad.
A second-round pick (No. 61 overall) of the Penguins in 2016, Bjorkqvist spent parts of three seasons with the team, appearing in six NHL games and scoring one goal while averaging 8:22 of ice time per contest (all during the 2021-22 season).
Entering the 2022 offseason as a restricted free agent, Bjorkqvist opted to return to his native Finland and signed with Karpat of the Liiga. Out of due diligence, the Penguins formally extended a qualifying offer to Bjorkqvist, a maneuver that allows them to retain his NHL rights until he turns 27 during the 2025 offseason.
Last season, Bjorkqvist appeared in 46 games for Karpat and scored 13 points (four goals, nine assists) while averaging 12:50 of ice time per contest.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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