The closest thing the Senators have to something that resembles offseason drama is this give and take on whether Swedish prospect Mikael Wikstrand will play in North America for the coming 2014-15 season.
What we already knew was that Wikstrand will participate in the organization’s rookie camp and tournament that will stretch from September 15th through the 25th. But after an interview with Värmlands Folkblad’s Johan Ekberg, Wikstrand provided an account of his dialogue with Senators management.
According to the report, the Senators and Wikstrand had allegedly come to an agreement on Wikstrand spending another season in Sweden last spring, but because of his strong showing in Ottawa’s development camp this summer, those plans have been shelved.
Despite the efforts of Wikstrand and his agent, Christian Sjögren, Wikstrand will miss the beginning of Färjestad BK’s season to participate in the annual rookie camp and tournament.
It is pretty evident that Wikstrand has no desire to play in the American Hockey League.
@Pammerhockey One thing is for sure, he doesn’t want to play AHL this season.
— Johan Ekberg (@VFekberg) September 3, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsWhen asked whether his last Champions Hockey League game could be his last representing Färjestad BK, Wikstrand responded by saying (loosely translated via Google translate), “Yes, but I do not (know). I told my agent that there is a 99.9-percent chance that I will go home and play with Färjestad this year if I do not play in the NHL.”
What lies beyond rookie camp for Wikstrand will be decided once he arrives in Ottawa with his agent to speak with Senators management on the matter.
“We’ll sit down over there, and then I’ll have my agent over there with (me), so we’ll see what we come up with. Hopefully, we decide that if I (don’t play in the NHL) and I’ll (return to Sweden). That’s what I want. It’s not very many (prospects) who go straight into the NHL, but (if I) have to (spend time) in the AHL, I’m not so (interested in that). I’ll (develop) better here at home in Sweden.”
As Bruce Garrioch articulated on Twitter this morning, that decision may not be up to Wikstrand.
The #Sens determine where Wikstrand plays next season. He is contractually obligated to report to Bingo if that is what they want. — Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) September 3, 2015
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The Senators do have a history of doing what’s right by the player and if Wikstrand already has his mind decided on spending one more season in Sweden playing for his hometown team, then I have a hard time believing that they would risk putting him in a situation in Binghamton where he will be unhappy.
The AHL isn’t for every European prospect and playing there carries a bit of stigma. Wikstrand’s non-commitment to playing in Binghamton will inevitably fuel characterization of Wikstrand as a “Momma’s boy” and will lead to many belabouring the point about how he needs to development time in North America to adjust.
At least for me, it’s an issue about a player’s comfort and recognizing the human element of sports. Not every athlete is wired the same way and if Wikstrand, who recognized the volume of left defencemen already on the parent roster and in Binghamton, believes that he’ll get caught up in the numbers game and will also be miserable spending a year biding his time in Binghamton, well, I’d prefer to see him spend another season in the SHL.
As much as player development is important, Wikstrand acknowledged that he also wants to grow as person as well. “I’ll be ready both as a player and person before I move over time. I feel that I clearly would need another year.”
Of course, if the Senators believe Wikstrand has a chance of cracking the roster this season, it could certainly help explain the timing of yesterday’s report that teams had been kicking the tires on Jared Cowen.
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