Wingels heads to Finland

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Tommy Wingels is headed to Finland.

The Evanston, Ill. native will hop on a flight on Wednesday to join KooKoo of the Metsis Hockey League, the second-highest league in Finland. His agent confirmed the news to CSNCalifornia.com on Tuesday.

RELATED: Tommy Wingels career stats2011-2012 game logs

Other Sharks that have joined teams abroad while the NHL lockout drags on include Joe Thornton and Logan Couture (Switzerland), Jason Demers (Finland) and Douglas Murray (Sweden). Demers is playing in the SM Liiga, the top tier league in Finland, so he will not face Wingels in game play.

In 33 games with the Sharks last season, the 24-year-old Wingels had three goals and six assists for nine points. He signed a two-year, one-way contract extension with the Sharks this summer.

Wingels had been among a select few Sharks players that are skating regularly on rented ice at the team's practice facility. He talked about the lockout with CSNCalifornia.com last week.

Its disappointing and frustrating, he said. You work all summer and prepare to start playing here, and you want to play games. We play this game because we love it, because the games are the most fun and best part about it. So, its disappointing, but theres an onus on you to stay and shape and be ready."

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