One of the hottest European free agents could find an NHL home sometime soon.



The Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks are frontrunners to land Calle Rosen, a 23-year-old Swedish defenceman, The Athletic has learned.



Rosen, who is 6-foot and 180 pounds, has spent his entire career in Sweden. He’s played for the Vaxjo Lakers in the SHL the past two seasons and has emerged as one of the league’s premier defencemen. He had six goals, 13 assists and 18:44 of ice time in 41 games this season.



Whichever team lands Rosen would sign him to a two-year, entry-level contract by rule of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement.



Rosen, a left-handed shot, flew under the radar earlier in his career and went undrafted in the NHL. He played the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons in Sweden’s second division before getting an opportunity in the SHL.



Klas Ostman, who coached Rosen earlier in his career, remarked Wednesday on how far...