Daniel Fink | Ah, beat
The American Hockey League is hard to play. Just ask any player who is suitable for playing in the game. This is a league that forces players to learn quickly and adapt to their own games to find success.
Want to try to increase the difficulty level? Try moving to a new continent and for a good way, nearly 15 games have been added to the schedule. That’s Fabian WagnerThis fall, when he boarded the ice with the Chicago Wolves on November 23 with the Manitoba Moose.
The Winnipeg Jets chose Wagner in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. While the striker is a Swedish junior team game, Wagner scored just one goal and six points in four seasons of the Swedish hockey league.
The 20-year-old Wagner felt the best in the AHL next step was in the AHL, starting 16 games of the season after 16 games against Linköping HC. It was a huge change for Wagner, but when he and the moose arrived, he helped.
“If I want this development, I need to come here,” Wagner explained. “Of course, it’s a new country, a new type of hockey and a new teammate. It’s new stuff, but the Swedes have helped me a lot and others on the team, too.”
Yes, it certainly helps when your new team in North America has three fellows to help you adapt to three teams. There are a lot of adjustments to make in a new country. Even just figuring out the local grocery store can be a challenge. Fortunately, Wagner’s experienced player Axel Jonsson-Fjällby and sImon Lundmarkand newcomers Elias Salomonssonhelp him settle down.
“It’s really valuable,” he said. “Axel and Simon have helped me a lot. It’s great, they’ve been here for a few years, so it’s been a lot to have them around me. I’m really grateful to them.”
Wagner can keep his focus on the ice with moose in helping his ice situation classification. His first goal with the moose was just to have fun. Wagner knows that there will be a new style of challenge, but wants to enjoy every moment of this new opportunity in Winnipeg.
While the offense didn’t flow immediately, Wagner brought solid two-way matches, but this kind of game coach could rely on. Wagner quickly won the trust of his teammates and coaching staff.
“You can tell him that he didn’t cheat on the game at all,” Moos Center recalled. Jaret Anderson-Dolan. “He played hard and did a great job in hockey battles. I remember playing with him earlier this season and his foundation was a very solid player.”
Early on, the Moose coaching staff recognized Wagner had some natural offensive abilities. These skills are centered on heavy and accurate shots, but he gained opportunities with responsible play and hard work.
The Assistant Coach Moos gave a detailed introduction to the detailed statement of the Assistant Coach Moos: “He won everything Fabian got, whether in the lineup or in the special team.” Morgan Klimchuk. “It’s obvious that he wants to be a player he can trust. He’s very proud of his game without hockey. It gives him the opportunity to play all the games he’s played early and keep climbing.”
Although Wagner’s two-way game won him consistent praise from the coaching staff, the offensive results have not yet followed. Sweden’s Nyköping product has three assists in his first 31 games. Several of these assistants have influence – Wagner assisted a pair of goals that won the game – but he is still waiting for the first stat.
His coach may be related to it. Klimchuk has 274 games with Stockton, Toronto and Belleville in his AHL career. While the former winger continued to score 133 points (62 goals and 71 assists) during his AHL tenure, he didn’t score in his first 16 games, scoring only nine points in 55 games of his rookie season.
“I’ve jumped into this league. It’s not an easy league to score, it takes time. You have to figure out how to play the game. Usually, it starts without a hockey, and then you start finding yourself in time and space.
Wagner didn’t let it show up in his game, but he didn’t score goals as he entered the season.
“Of course some frustration,” Wagner admitted. “You always want to score, and when you hunt for the first goal and the game ticked, there’s a bit of frustration. I think I’m playing very well. I just want to come up in my mind and keep playing the game. Don’t try to think too much about the first goal.”
Then, Fabian Wagner scored his first AHL goal against Grand Rapids Griffins on March 5. Defensive players Dylan Anhorn Stealed the puck in the offensive zone and fed Wagner lurking in the slot machine. Wagner Sebastian Cossa.
Then something outstanding happened. Wagner got his next game again.
and the next game.
Then there’s twice as much as the next game.
There is also a good game below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anxwe_zjgco
Wagner scored six goals in five games, taking over the Moose rookie’s lead in scoring. This is the longest goal for a moose skater and the longest rookie player since the 2022-23 season. Kyle Connor During the 2016-17 campaign, 10 goals were scored in six games. The winning streak ended in Iowa on March 16, but Wagner returned to the game with his seventh goal of many games in Rockford on March 19.
“Great,” Wagner said with a smile, turning back. “Goals are always fun. And, I think I learned something from it, too. Of course, you know you score goals in front of the network, but I learned how to achieve goals and how to get opportunities.”
The rookie forward isn’t the only intoxicating person he’s scoring explosion. His moose teammates were ecstatic, including Anderson-Dolan, who played four of five games with Wagner.
“Everyone knows how hard it is to go through a downturn,” Anderson-Dolan said. “It feels like the web is super small and there is nothing to shoot.
Wagner finished March with seven goals and one assist in 13 games, leading the Moose in the mid-month. His seven scores also ended second in all AHL rookies.
Despite the exciting number of goals, Klimchuk was quick to point out that it wasn’t just Wagner’s score.
“We are proud that he continues to develop his game and add layers. Many of the goals are to find quiet ice or score at the right time. It’s really good, different releases and scored a lot of goals in many different ways. He’s not one-dimensional in producing offense.”
It’s a season of change and learning for Fabian Wagner. The Winnipeg Jets’ prospects face challenges entering new leagues and nations. He is committed to working on a solid foundation and now he is starting to see it achieve new success.
