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Minnesota Wild: Eric Martinsson departs the team Switzerland-bound

By Luke Ryan

ST. PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Darcy Kuemper #35 and Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild make their way to ice with a crowd of fans near the tunnel prior to the game against the Dallas Stars on February 9, 2016 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Darcy Kuemper #35 and Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild make their way to ice with a crowd of fans near the tunnel prior to the game against the Dallas Stars on February 9, 2016 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Eric Martinsson was exactly the kind of signing that represented a low-risk, high-reward option for the Minnesota Wild.

Signing un-drafted European players is common across the NHL these days; sometimes they pay off, other times, as is the case here; the player never quite makes it to the highest-level and heads off into the sunset for a new challenge. Eric Martinsson has chosen to depart the Minnesota Wild and do exactly that, bound for the Swiss league.

After being waived unconditionally by the Minnesota Wild, he will be joining up with Geneve-Servette of Switzerland.

Earlier rumours had him headed to Frolunda in the Swedish league, so the move can be viewed with a degree of surprise.

The bigger question is; what might have been for Eric Martinsson if he’d have hung around with the Minnesota Wild.

Chances are he’d have found himself limited to the AHL and the Iowa Wild for a longer term, but given we saw multiple guys stepping up last year courtesy of injuries, you can’t categorically say that he wouldn’t have made an NHL debut this season.

The Swedish-born defenseman proved more than capable enough in the American Hockey League and would’ve finished the year with at least thirty points if he continue to produce at a similar pace.

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For a guy with a previous season high of 17 points in the Swedish league, the fact he sat at 9 points in 13 AHL games is quite remarkable.

Defensively, there was probably just a little too much missing from his game that at age twenty-six, he wasn’t going to be able to correct.

You have to remember that for every older AHL defenseman, there’s a younger guy either lower in the line-up or in juniors snapping at their ankles.

In hindsight, there has been nothing lost by the Minnesota Wild. Realistically, Eric Martinsson hasn’t lost out either; it’s likely his salary in Switzerland is on-par with an AHL salary and he can live safe in the knowledge that he tried to make it to the highest level.

He didn’t quite crack it, but he gave it a red-hot go and that is all you can ask of anyone.

Am I sad he’s left the team? Not really. Would it have been great if he turned out to be another Erik Karlsson? Sure, but if that was the case, why was he never drafted!

Next. Latest five-game pace looks absolutely brutal. dark

Low-risk signing and no reward this time round. Next time, maybe.

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