Swedish defenseman Niclas Andersen said Tuesday he is elated to have a chance to get to the NHL with the Penguins in the fall at age 27, since reaching the league is a goal he has had for nearly a decade.
Anderson, drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 2006 but never signed, primarily has played in Sweden and Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.
“I was there for [the Kings] development camp during the summer but never came as far to discuss any contract or anything like that,” Andersen said in a telephone interview. “I was pretty focused on taking a spot on my Swedish team at that moment and eventually go there in a couple years.