The Anaheim Ducks, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have reassigned defenseman Hampus Lindholm from the Admirals to Sweden’s entry in the 2013 IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship (WJC).
Lindholm, 6-foot-3, 195-pounds, has appeared in 19 games for the Admirals this season, posting one goal and five points with 10 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating. The native of Helsingborg, Sweden, made his North American professional debut with the Admirals on Oct. 12 against the Worcester Sharks at 18 years, eight months and 23 days old, becoming the youngest player in the American Hockey League on 2012-13 Opening Night rosters and the youngest player in AHL Admirals history. Lindholm turns 19 on Jan. 20, 2013.
Anaheim drafted Lindholm last June in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Lindholm played extensive minutes as a member of the top defensive pairing for Sweden at the 2012 IIHF Under-18 World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. He appeared in six games for the silver medal-winning team, earning four assists with four penalty minutes.
The 2013 IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship runs from Dec. 26, 2012 to Jan. 5, 2013 in Ufa, Russia. Sweden is the defending champion of the Under-20 WJC and will head Group A with Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Latvia. The Group B field includes Russia, the United States, Canada, Slovakia and Germany.
