The way forward: Skoog "see no downside to what I did"

Note: the Google translation is pretty good  but you'll find a few puzzlers along the way.

From hockeysverige.se

For many at home in Sweden, he is still a hidden figure, but on the other side of the Atlantic he holds Wilmer Skoog about to break through for real.

Since the move to North America, development has progressed steadily Wilmer Skoog. In five years, he has gone from being a promise to a consistent scorer in the American college league

NCAA. FromVästerås IK and Sweden all the way to the Hockey East title with Boston University. The whole journey has meant that he is now preparing to step out onto the ice in the NHL minor league-the AHL - in his first real season as a senior player.

- I'm really excited and happy that it worked out this way. This is what I have believed, and what I have worked for. It was fun to see that it worked. Now I'm going to show that I'm worth it and secure another contract, he says to hockeysverige.se

The now 24-year-old Wilmer Skoog received his early hockey upbringing in Hanvikens SK, but already in 2014, he got the chance in Djurgården. A chance that directly led him all the way to one playoffs in the U16-SM. A few months before his 16th birthday, he also had to lift the dent.

But there was no continuation in the Stockholm club.

- We had a fun trip. There were many good players in the team and tough competition every workout. I remember it was a bit difficult to separate the group afterwards. Before J18 I looked around at all the options. Västerås was what I thought suited the best.

The next chapter was thus written in Västerås, just over 100 km from the family in Stockholm. A shorter distance which became a suitable step for the promising center.

- I remember that what I liked most when I was there on a visit was the environment and the joy that I saw on the ice and in the locker room. Now afterwards, I'm glad I did the choice. I think it was good for me to move away from home and also grow a little on the side of the ice.

Three seasons in Västerås gave Skoog part of the foundation for the hockey player he is today. He was phased into the J20 squad and then got a real boost in 2017/18. So much so that he then, as 18-year-old got the chance in HockeyEttan on twelve occasions.

- The biggest part that has changed since then is the physical. I was very late in physical development. I was very small in U16 and also first year in J18. Since then have I've grown a lot and built some muscle. But I think I then tried to play roughly on the same way I do now. A reliable two-way center who is solid in the defensive zone at the same time as I can distribute the puck in the middle zone and contribute some offensive zone time, and also be a little dangerous as well.

 

Then Wilmer Skoog took the plunge. The promise disappeared from Swedish hockey because hopefully getting just as close to the NHL dream as he is now.

- It was in Västerås, at the hockey gymnasium. I had a friend, Hugo Blixt (today in Almtuna), who went over to the US  to play in the USHL. He then went to Boston University quite early. We were quite close and talked a lot about it. I thought it was a good alternative with both school and hockey.

- At the same time, I felt that if I was going to play in Sweden, I would like to have an SHL contract or an Allsvenskan contract - and get to play. Going over to the USA was actually five years for me extra development as a person and as a player. I see no downside to what I did.

So it happened.

"My development went up a lot"

The moving cargo was steered west and gave great success, but at first it was tough.

- I have experienced so much, everything has been terrible. I had some thoughts about whether I really wanted it for the first few months, but it was just a matter of biting the bullet and driving. About it was going to screw up, it was just a matter of flying home and continuing with what I had there.

- The first goal was to get into a school. It started a bit rough there before Christmas. I did not hear from so many schools, but I kept going. It took a few months, a few games to customize the game. Then after Christmas the hockey went better. 

In the end, Skoog got it right. After an exciting process with meetings and visits to schools he finally decided on Boston University. He was then phased into the college team by first playing in the NAHL and then continued to grow, both as a player and as a person.

- I think that everything is connected. I became a little more comfortable in the team, with the language, the culture and so on. It made everything a little easier, I think. 

- I had a great time in Maryland (the NAHL team) and lived only half an hour awayWashington DC I went to some of the Washington Capitals games and got to see a little more of what was outside the ice

A few injuries then opened (the opportunity) for an earlier entry into the NCAA and Boston, and by Christmas Skoog finally started school for real.

- I was ready for the hockey to be tougher. I think there were eleven, twelve drafted players then. In Maryland there was none. But it went very well in the beginning, I had been patient and was ready. I think it's important not to stress at that age.

After that, things went quickly. The undrafted Swede has in the last two seasons impressed greatly in the college ranks and was also one of Boston's best scorers, this among great prospects like Lane Hutson, Ryan Greene and Luke Tuch .

It all led to a fitting end in his final year. At the end of 2022/23, Boston had secured first place in the Hockey East series and then also a final win in the conference playoffs. 

- My development and the team's development went up a lot during the years I was there. We had a very large class. There were 13 of us who graduated. It's not that common that 13 remains all four years. I think that was one of the keys to us being so successful last year.

- When I see videos and pictures from the time in Boston, I feel enormous gratitude. It was damn good there.

Now a new chapter and a new challenge await.

 Stepping directly into the AHL: "Felt just right"

Skoog's fine development and success with Boston made the conversations he had with teams during his years in the United States were exchanged for concrete negotiations, and in April then announced  the AHL-the team Charlotte Checkers that they have agreed with the Swedish center on a one-year contract.

- It will be fun and exciting. It's a new level and everything will be new. It's like changing workplaces. Everything is exciting.

- We checked where I would fit in best and where there were opportunities for me to move further and continue my development. Charlotte felt just right after what we heard from them and how they saw me as a player.

Suddenly, the now 24-year-old boy from Hanviken will take his place in the NHL's farming league and only be one step away from the big dream - if he brings his fine game and continues to impress.

- It is clear that there will be a difference. From playing against people born '04 to '97 to tplay against older and much more mature players. I think it will be tougher and more focused on details in the game, while the simple must be at the top all the time. I'm ready.

To prepare for this big step, Skoog has, among other things, trained at home in Sweden, but he has also for the second year in a row spent a turn in North America at an NHL development camp. Last summer, it was Vegas Golden Knights; now it was a game in the Florida Panthers jersey with some other Swedes.

- It was cool. I, Ludvig Jansson , Elliot Ekmark and Olof Glifford hung out a bit. I think the most fun was the social part, getting to know the organization, the people and everyone, the players. It's a little different if you're drafted and already know everyone. For me it was completely new people.

- Those were fun days. Some tests, some ice training and then a match on the last day. Then we did a lot off the ice too. It was good. A little too hot, but that's to be expected (laugh). 

The hope for Skoog is to establish himself in the AHL, in a Charlotte Checkers like the last one season made it all the way to a semi-final for their division, or round of 8 overall in the Calder Cup. There they finally lost to the Hershey Bears who then secured the title.

- It will be fun to see how far we can get. Hopefully we go all the way. What happens next, time will tell.

- I will get ready now and show that I have done the work to play there. We'll see how far it simply leads. I make sure to do my job and then everything around takes care of itself, concludes Wilmer Skoog.