Mikael Wikstrand

Mikael Wikstrand
Wikstrand with Färjestad BK in 2019
Born	(1993-11-05) 5 November 1993 (age 32) Karlstad, Sweden
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Frölunda HC Färjestad BK Ak Bars Kazan
National team	Sweden
NHL draft	196th overall, 2012 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	2010–2022

Mikael Wikstrand (surname also spelled Vikstrand; born 5 November 1993) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). ^[1]

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. ^[2]

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. ^[3]

In 2014, Wikstrand signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa. ^[4] 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 left the Ottawa Senators’ 2015 pre-season camp without permission, informing team officials only once he was already at the airport preparing to return to 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. ^[5]

On January 20, 2016, the Ottawa Senators announced an agreement allowing Wikstrand to play professionally in Sweden while the team retained his North American rights. He was loaned to Färjestad of the SHL, enabling him to continue his career while remaining in Karlstad, where his brother was reportedly undergoing treatment for leukemia. ^[6]

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. ^[7]

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. ^[8]

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. ^[9]

International play

Medal record
Representing   Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
	2018 Denmark
World Junior Championships
	2013 Russia

Wikstrand has represented Sweden at the 2018 Winter Olympics, the 2011 U18 World Junior Championship, as well as at the 2013 World Junior Championship, leading all Swedish defensemen with 4 points. ^[10]

Wikstrand with Frölunda HC in 2014

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	IFK Ore	J18		9	0	2	2	31		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	IFK Ore	SWE.5		3	0	0	0			—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Mora IK	J18		17	7	10	17	18		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Mora IK	J18 Allsv		6	3	1	4	8		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Mora IK	J20		14	1	2	3	8		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Mora IK	J18		4	1	2	3	6		3	1	3	4	4
2010–11	Mora IK	J20		16	3	5	8	6		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Mora IK	Allsv		28	0	1	1	6		8	0	0	0	2
2011–12	Mora IK	J20		11	3	4	7	2		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Mora IK	Allsv		47	2	1	3	14		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Mora IK	J20		2	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Mora IK	Allsv		45	11	14	25	35		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Mora IK	Allsv		27	4	16	20	14		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Frölunda HC	SHL		19	4	7	11	4		7	1	1	2	0
2014–15	Frölunda HC	SHL		46	5	15	20	10		13	0	5	5	8
2015–16	Färjestad BK	SHL		17	1	8	9	6		5	0	3	3	0
2016–17	Färjestad BK	SHL		48	4	15	19	12		7	2	3	5	2
2017–18	Färjestad BK	SHL		45	5	13	18	14		6	1	0	1	0
2018–19	Färjestad BK	SHL		47	4	16	20	14		14	0	2	2	6
2019–20	Ak Bars Kazan	KHL		52	4	28	32	8		4	0	2	2	0
2020–21	Ak Bars Kazan	KHL		39	2	11	13	10		9	0	1	1	2
2021–22	Färjestad BK	SHL		48	3	13	16	20		8	1	1	2	6
SHL totals				270	26	87	113	80		60	5	15	20	22
KHL totals				91	6	39	45	18		13	0	3	3	2

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Sweden	WJC18			6	0	1	1	8
2013	Sweden	WJC			6	0	4	4	4
2018	Sweden	OG	5th		4	2	1	3	0
2018	Sweden	WC			10	0	1	1	2
Junior totals					12	0	5	5	12
Senior totals					14	2	2	4	2

Awards and honours

Award	Year
SHL
Le Mat Trophy (Färjestad BK)	2022	[11] [12]

References

1. "Mikael Wikstrand Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
2. "Mikael Wikstrand the lone Senators prospect in ufa". thehockeywriters.com. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
3. "Wikstrand could join Frolunda in the next couple of days". icehockeyrumors.com. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
4. "Senators sign defenceman Mikael Wikstrand to entry-level contract" (Press release). Ottawa Senators. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
5. "Senators prospect Wikstrand suspended". National Hockey League . 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
6. "Senators broker temporary fix with Wikstrand". The Sports Network. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
7. "Mikael Wikstrand in Kazan". Ak Bars Kazan. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
8. "Mikael Wikstrand moves home" (in Swedish). Färjestad BK. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
9. "After 750 days of struggle - now Wikstrand retires: "Have to live with the pain for the rest of my life"" (in Swedish). vf.se. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
10. "Mikael Wikstrand prospect profile". hockeysfuture.com. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
11. "Färjestad wins it on the road". eurohockeyclubs.com. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
12. "Färjestad BK are Swedish Champions" (in Swedish). Swedish Hockey League. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database