FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Wiikman

GLENDALE, ARIZONA -- Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have acquired goaltender Miika Wiikman and a seventh round draft choice in the 2011 Entry Draft for defenseman Anders Eriksson. Wiikman will report to Phoenix’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.

Wiikman, 25, has appeared in seven games with Hartford of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, posting a record of 2-4-0 with a 4.20 goals against average (GAA) and a .869 save percentage. He has also appeared in 17 games with Charlotte of the ECHL and has posted a record of 9-3-1-2 with a 2.84 GAA, a .906 SV% and one shutout. A native of Mariestad, Sweden, Wiikman went 21-18-4 with a 2.70 GAA in 43 AHL games with Hartford last season. In 2007-08, he went 21-8-3 with a 2.30 GAA and a .919 SV% in 34 games with Hartford to rank 6th in the AHL in SV% and 10th in GAA.

Prior to his North American career, Wiikman played professionally in Finland where he won the Jari Kurri Award as the top player of the Finnish League playoffs in 2005-06 after leading HPK Hameenlinna to the championship. He originally signed with the Rangers as a free agent on April 24, 2008.

Eriksson, 35, has recorded three assists in 12 games for the Coyotes this season. He has also registered 1-3-4 in 10 games with San Antonio. Eriksson has appeared in 564 career NHL games with Detroit, Chicago, Florida, Toronto, Columbus, Calgary and the Coyotes, recording 22-152-174 and 242 PIM over parts of 12 NHL seasons. Eriksson, who was originally selected by Detroit in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, signed with the Coyotes as a free agent on Dec. 21, 2009.