With American Hockey League activities not scheduled (tentatively) to start for another two months at the earliest, many National Hockey League teams are looking toward European leagues to help with player development. Over 100 NHL-contracted players have been loaned out across Europe on short-term contracts in order to ensure that player development does not stall while the world pauses to combat the generational challenge we face with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ten leagues have welcomed an infusion of talent, with the Finnish Liiga and Swedish second division, HockeyAllsvenskan, welcoming 19 players each. These two leagues were particularly popular because they allowed teams to sign players with whom they had no prior affiliation to short-term deals, though the Allsvenskan limits teams to a maximum of four players on loan.