The Cardiff Devils are pleased to announce defenceman Brendan Mikkelson as the first signing ahead of the 2021-22 season.
The Cardiff Devils are pleased to announce defenceman Brendan Mikkelson as the first signing ahead of the 2021-22 season.
The 33 year old Mikkelson played 131 games in the NHL over 5 seasons for the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning. He first moved over to Europe to join Lulea HF in the Swedish Elite League where he stayed for 3 seasons from 2015-2018.
He spent the 2018-19 season in Germany where he won the DEL Championship with Adler Mannheim, the same team the Devils have drawn in this year's CHL. He then moved to Salzburg in Austria for the 2019-20 saeason and spent last season with MODO in the Swedish Allsvenskan league.
Before turning pro, he won a Memorial Cup with the Vancouver Giants where he played his final two seasons of Major Junior. Drafted 31st overall in the 2005 NHL draft, he was selected by the Anaheim Ducks and made his NHL debut during the 2008-09 season.
He has been a captain or assistant captain for a number of teams during his professional career including wearing a letter with Wilkes-Barre Penguins and Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey league, Lulea in Sweden and then last season with Modo.
Head Coach Jarrod Skalde spoke about his first signing for the Devils:
“Brendan is a solid two-way defenceman and has proven he can play at the top level in the world. The reports we got on him were as much about his off-ice qualities as a leader and a great teammate as they were about his on ice ability.
“He has been chosen to be a Captain or Assistant Captain numerous times throughout his career and he is a winner, which is why we wanted to get him here and why he was attracted to Cardiff.”
Check out the first interview with Brendan Mikkelson below:
Photo Credit: Getty Images
