It’s something only one other Australian-born player has ever done.
But Jakob Ihs-Wozniak has his sights set on joining Kings defenceman Jordan Spence as the second player from Down Under to make it to the NHL.
Born in Adelaide, but raised in Sweden, Ihs-Wozniak heads into this month’s NHL Draft ranked No. 8 among International skaters, after a 57-point campaign (24G, 33A) that saw the Lulea forward finish sixth in scoring in the top Swedish junior league.
Those numbers are made all the more impressive given the fact Ihs-Wozniak also made 13 SHL appearances with Lulea, scoring his first professional goal in the process.
“It was the first game for me this season, playing in Frolunda - it’s a big game, Lulea always has trouble with those games,” Ihs-Wozniak recalled during a break in the action at last week’s NHL Combine in Buffalo. “I didn’t expect to play, I was the extra forward and (the coach) said, ‘You’re probably not going to play.’
“Lulea was down 4-0 or something like that, so then he just sent me in. I got four of five minutes of playing time and I scored with like 40 seconds left. It was a surreal feeling.”
The NHL Draft is a long way from the beaches of Australia. Though Ihs-Wozniak’s family moved back to Sweden when he was a toddler, they made frequent trips back as a kid.
“I was born there, I only lived there for two years before moving back to Sweden, where my mom is from,” he said. “We’ve been back like seven, eight times. We went back nearly every year until I was 13, then COVID happened - and all of that - so then it was hard to go back.
“Only my dad and my smallest brother that still go sometimes. It’s been tough now, lately, but my grandparents come to Sweden in the summer sometimes, too.”
While Down Under, Ihs-Wozniak and his siblings hit the beach - of course - but he recalls spending a fair amount of time learning another Australian sporting staple.
“We always had a tradition, we go and play cricket,” he said with a grin. “We played every day, it was super-fun. They (his grandparents) had a tennis court in their back yard, so it’s perfect for us. They have a pool, too, so it was always super-fun going there.”
Back in Sweden, the flashy forward has developed into an offence-first, playmaking winger.
He’s got a nose for the net, but he also credits quick thinking as a reason he’s able to find success on the scoresheet.
“I’m an offensive player with a really good shot; I have good passing ability and really good hockey IQ,” he described. “Those are my strengths.
“When I watch the NHL, I try to model my game after Filip Forsberg. He’s also pretty big, he’s got skills - good at scoring, good at passing. He’s got a lot of tools that I want to play like.”
Next fall, he’s planning on making the jump to Lulea’s senior side on a full-time basis. He was one of six 17-year-olds to record multiple points in the SHL last season, though he acknowledges that to make a sustained impact in the pros, he’ll have to build on his already impressive 6-foot-2, 190-lb. frame.
His experience at the NHL Combine only steeled his resolve to continue making Australian hockey history.
Much like how his taste of the pro game this past season - playing with older, faster players - has him spending the summer yearning for more.
“Just being with them and training has been a super-good lesson for me,” said Ihs-Wozniak. “Going into next season, that’s exactly what I need - experience - so that’s been super-good.”
