One of the remaining 44 skaters in camp that is likely to see game action within the few days is forward Malte Stromwall.
Sporting #29, the small, right-handed winger has caught attention while skating with group "C2" - standing out with his speed and ability to find the back of the net.
His path to Raleigh, and this opportunity, his been anything but direct.
Born in Sweden, the forward came to North America to play for the first time in 2011 after being selected in the Western Hockey League's import draft. Following two years with the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, WA, he returned to his native country to get his first taste of the professional level. Still, his goal remained to play in the best league in the world.
After three years there he caught the attention of the New York Rangers, who signed him to an entry-level contract in 2016. While he was elated to get the chance, it didn't go as planned.
Starting his first year of the deal with the Hartford Wolf Pack, New York's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, a blocked shot resulted in a broken fibula, spoiling his opening season. When he was able to return for year two he was informed that there wasn't room for him on the Hartford roster, leaving him at a crossroads.
"I decided to go back to Europe and rebuild. I wanted to become a better player," Stromwall explained of his decision to go back across the pond, despite being closer than ever to achieving what he'd set out to in his hockey career.
A successful season and a half in Finland was parlayed into a Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) contract and the now well-traveled speedster played the last three years in Russia. Acknowledging how much his game has developed since his last time in North America, he now feels that this is where it was all meant to come together.
"I've always dreamed of playing in the NHL. I was realizing that I was getting older and this opportunity came up, so I was really excited to come back to the U.S. again," the 28-year-old offered Sunday.
The opportunity came about following 19 goals and 32 points in 38 games last season for Dinamo Minsk, reinvigorating his passion for the game and reaffirming that he can be that strong offensive producer in what many consider the second best league in the world.
"It was a fun season. I've always seen myself as a goal-scorer. I had the opportunity to be a player that chips in offensively and I did a good job at that."
Now, after 414 professional games in six different leagues, he's hoping that his 415th contest will come in his seventh different level of competition.
