St. Louis Blues sign NCAA free agent Anton Malmstrom to two-year, entry-level contract

St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong announced Monday that the Blues have signed NCAA free agent defenseman Anton Malmstrom to a two-year, entry-level contract worth $1.9 million. The contract will pay him $910,000 annually at the NHL level and $82,500 in the American Hockey League. 

Malmstrom, a product of Österhaninge, Sweden, grew up playing hockey in the Djugardens system, a widely renowned Swedish hockey program that has pumped out talent recently like Alexander Holtz, William Eklund, Liam Öhgren, Noah Östlund and Jonathan Lekkerimäki to name a few. In 2018-19, he won the J20 SM Bronze Medal. In 2019-20 he tallied nine points in 41 games at the J20 SuperElit level and was even promoted to play four games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and one game in the Champions Hockey League tournament.

Over the last three seasons, Malmstrom has played in North America for Bowling Green State University in the NCAA. The 6-foot-4, 203-pound left-shot defender registered six points (three goals, three assists) and 16 penalty minutes in 33 games this season. Throughout three seasons with Bowling Green, he totalled seven goals, six assists and 56 penalty minutes in 89 career NCAA games. 

While his contract does not begin until the 2023-24 season, Malmstrom will report to the Blues’ American Hockey League affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds and will be eligible to play the remainder of the season and playoffs on an AHL Professional Tryout contract. He attended both Blues and Boston Bruins development camps in the past. The Thunderbirds sit fifth in the Atlantic Division with a record of 25-22-7-1 and a points percentage of 0.527% The Thunderbirds play at home Wednesday against the Harford Wolf Pack.