Playing career
In 2010–11, Wikstrand made his debut in professional hockey, playing 28 games for Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan, getting one assist. The following year, Wikstrand played 47 games for the club, getting 3 points.
Wikstrand was ranked 23rd amongst European skaters in the 2012 NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s final rankings, however he was selected in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Senators, 196th overall. [1]
In 2012–13, Wikstrand played 45 games for Mora, getting 22 points. That year, he tied for fifth among Allsvenskan defensemen in scoring, and lead all the Mora defensemen in scoring. There were several trade rumours surrounding Wikstrand at the time, with Frölunda being particularly mentioned. [2]
In 2014, Wikstrand signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa. [3] He attended the Ottawa Senators training camp, but played the season in Sweden with Frölunda HC on loan from Ottawa.
Wikstrand caused controversy when he abruptly left the Ottawa Senators' 2015 pre-season training camp without permission, not even notifying team officials of his departure from camp until he was at the airport about to board a flight back to his native Sweden. Senators general manager Bryan Murray announced shortly afterward that Wikstrand had been suspended by the team. Since Wikstrand is under contract with the Senators, the NHL's affiliation with the IIHF meant that he was prohibited from playing professional hockey for Färjestad BK or any other club in a league affiliated with the IIHF. [4]
On January 20, 2016, the Ottawa Senators announced that they had come to terms with Wikstrand that would allow him to play professional hockey in his native Sweden, while the Senators retained his North American rights. Wikstrand has been loaned to Färjestad of the SHL, which will allow him to play hockey while staying close to his family home in Karlstad, where Wikstrand's brother is reportedly battling leukemia. [5]
After Captaining Färjestad in the 2018–19 season, his fourth year with the club, Wikstrand left as a free agent in the off-season. He agreed to a two-year contract with Russian club, Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), on 13 June 2019. [6]
At the conclusion of his contract with Ak Bars, appearing as a regular on the blueline, Wikstrand opted to return to former club, Färjestad BK, as a free agent by agreeing to a three-year contract to resume his career in the SHL on 3 May 2021. [7]
After winning the Le Mat Trophy with Färjestad BK in the 2021–22 season, Wikstrand missed the following two seasons through injury before announcing his retirement from professional hockey on 24 April 2024. [8]
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