Hayley Wickenheiser is taking another shot at playing professional men’s hockey in Europe. The captain of the Canadian women’s team is close to signing with the Sweden’s IFK Arboga, a Division 1 club two levels below the Elite Division.
“We’re going to make a decision today or tomorrow and it’s looking pretty good,” Arboga general manager Niklas Johansson said today.
Wickenheiser also said in an e-mail today that she was close to signing with the team.
This is the second time the 29-year-old from Shaunavon, Sask., has ventured into a European men’s pro league. She became the first woman other than a goaltender to play men’s pro hockey in 2003 when she spent parts of two seasons with Kirkkonummi Salamat of the Finnish men’s pro league.