In a little over a month, the Minnesota Wild will host the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, but they’ll have to wait another year for their first round pick from the 2010.

Mikael Granlund, selected ninth overall by the Wild a year ago, will finish up millitary obligations before joining Minnesota.

“Mikael prefers when he comes over to Minnesota, hockey is the only thing he needs to focus on in his life,” Granlund’s agent Todd Diamond told the Star-Tribune. “He wants to get all these so-called housekeeping things out of the way and, a year from now, get ready to hopefully crack the lineup.”

Earlier in the offseason, Wild captain and countryman Mikko Koivu hinted at Granlund joining the team in September. The 19-year-old will instead push for a roster spot in 2012-13.

The two were teammates at the 2011 World Championship where Finland won gold.

Granlund has been given permission by The Finnish Defense Forces to attend a July training camp in Minnesota.  

Aaron Vickers is the managing editor of Future Considerations and can be found on Twitter at Twitter. For all the latest Future Considerations news and posts, follow FC’s Official Twitter Feed, on YouTube and on Facebook!