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Flames Top 25 Under 25: #20 – Johannes Kinnvall

Right-hand shot defenceman has put up some eye-popping numbers in the SHL

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#20 – Johannes Kinnvall

Position: Defense

Age: 23 (as of August 1 2020)

2019-20 Team: HV71 Jonkoping (SHL)

Signed April 29 2020 (2-year contract begins in 2021-22 season)

Last Year Ranking: N/A

Kinnvall’s Votes

Before the 2020 Free Agency period had even opened, the Flames had already bolstered their defensive depth with 3 signings. The most under-the-radar of those, was the April signing of Swedish defenceman Johannes Kinnvall. A right-shot, Kinnvall has the makings of a very promising offensive defenceman.

Tangible improvement would be the best descriptor of Kinnvall’s development. In his rookie SHL season in 2016-17, he put up exactly 0 points in 18 games for Brynäs IF. He played all of 2017-18 with Timrå IK in the lower HockeyAllsvenskan league, helping them earn promotion to the SHL for the 2018-19 season. This was the start of Kinnvall’s breakout. In his second SHL stint, he posted 12 goals and 22 points in 52 games for Timrå IK. His goal total was tied for first among SHL defenders, and 13th for points. That performance earned him an invite to the Flames development camp in 2019, and much like Spencer Foo 3 years ago, likely aided the Flames chances of signing him.

This past season was exceptional for Kinnvall. With Timrå IK finishing 15-33-4 in 2018-19 and being demoted back to HockeyAllsvenskan, he moved to HV71 for 2019-20 to remain in the SHL. His goal total remained similar at 11, but his assists and points jumped to 29 and 40 respectively in 51 games. He finished second in the SHL for assists and points among defenders. The SHL is a notoriously defensive league, and this tier of points-per-game isn’t common for player of his age, let alone defencemen.

He earned his entry-level contract in April of 2020, which will begin in the 2021-22 season when he presumably will make the transition to North America. He is playing for HV71 in the SHL once again for the 2020-21 season, and is off to a scorching start. He has 3 goals and 5 assists in 6 games thus far, as is on pace to smash his previous career highs.

by Gordie Taylor