Are you familiar with that saying about how if you let someone go, and if they come back, then it was meant to be? That would accurately describe the relationship between the San Jose Sharks and Rudolfs Balcers.
Originally selected in the fifth round (142 overall) by the Sharks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Balcers worked his way up in the Norwegian league’s Stavanger Oilers system, playing for the U18, U20 and senior club in his draft year. He spent most of that season on the senior squad, where he scored 8 goals and 13 assists in 43 games, before joining the U20 squad for their playoff run, playing 12 games and scoring 14 goals.