Albert Wikman

NZ’s Director of NHL Scouting Ian Moran says: Wikman is a minutes machine in the J20 routinely playing around twenty-five minutes per -game. During net front battles he defends by establishing body positioning early and setting himself on his edges before contact can be made. Once his edges are set he shows the strength to drive opposing forwards from the shooting lane so his goalie can see. Wikman sorts out defensive zone coverage quickly and he has little issues with picks or scissors. There are times when I see him follow his man to the offensive blueline, but that seems to be a system’s issue not an awareness issue. His feet allow him to play within a stick’s length of his man during man to man coverage, but he also shows the four way agility to recover to the net when / if his teammate get beat. His willingness to maintain shooting lanes and move in straight lines makes him a potential penalty killer at higher levels. Wikman’s lack of offensive production is an area of concern. If I was running an NHL organization I could handle him not producing while playing in the NHL, but it’s concerning that he hasn’t really produced in the J20 and that he does not seem to get a whole lot of power play consideration either.

Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images