Albert Wikman, selected 127th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2023 NHL Draft, is a smooth-skating defenseman known for his transitioning abilities. During the 2022-23 season with Färjestad BK, he played 11 games in the Swedish Hockey League without scoring, while also participating in the playoffs and performing well in junior competitions. Wikman has demonstrated solid defensive skills, contributing to his teams both at the national and international levels, and has potential for growth in offensive production as he develops.
Wikman is a smooth-skating defender with decent size who excels in transition and projects to be a bottom-pairing guy at the NHL level unless he can add some offense to his game as he develops to lift his ceiling.
In 43 games among his peers with Färjestad's J20 Nationell squad, Wikman produced two goals, ten assists, went plus-ten and finished second among the team's defensemen in penalty minutes with 47.
The foundation of Wikman's game is his skating. He moves his feet, reads plays, angles rush attempts wide, and is quick to draw a stick out to disrupt a play or block a lane.
Wikman also appeared in five games of Färjestad BK's seven-game upset loss to Frolunda HC in the SHL quarterfinals. Those five postseason games were the most played by an U18 player in the league.
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