Report: Lian Bichsel to Leave Texas, Return to Sweden

(Credit: Ross Bonander/Texas Stars)

A report out of Sweden (since confirmed by Dallas) indicates Dallas' top blueline prospect, Lian Bichsel, is set to return to Sweden after December 1.

The Texas Stars neither confirmed nor denied the report when reached Tuesday evening.

Bichsel's contract has a European assignment clause, which allows the player to choose to return to Europe on or after December 1, this coming Friday. If this report is accurate, and we have no reason to believe it is not, Bichsel will leave the Texas Stars sometime in the next week and join the SHL's Rögle.

Rögle is currently in 11th place in the SHL and unlikely to make a lot of noise in the playoffs. Bichsel's contract also allows him to return to the AHL after Rögle's season is over. If the Stars can stay hot, adding Bichsel in the stretch run would be an incredible shot in the arm.

It is certainly a disappointing turn of events for prospect observers, who had been rightly excited to watch Bichsel's game continue to mature up close and personal in Cedar Park. Bichsel has 1-4-5 in 13 games this season for division-leading Texas.