Finland’s Helsinki Wolverines sign deadly WR pair of Micky Kyei and Sebastien Sagne
The Helsinki Wolverines, who play in Finland’s Maple League, have definitely added a boost to their offense as they prepare for the shortened season by signing two of the top receivers in Europe, Micky Kyei and Sebastien Sagne, both from Finland.
The Wolverines finished third in the Maple League in 2019 with a 7-5 record and reached the semifinals.
This will be the second time that Kyei and Sagne play on the same team. The pair were a deadly duo for the Dresden Monarchs in the German Football League in 2016 and 2017.
Kyei, a native of Porvoo, Finland, starred with the Porvoon Butchers until 2016 when he signed with the Monarchs. Over his two seasons in Dresden he helped the team reach the German semifinals (2016) and quarterfinals (2017) while amassing a total of 1,466 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns. He spent the 2018 season with the Tampere Saints in Finland (40 rec. 608 yds, 6 TDs) and then helped the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions win the 2019 German Bowl. On the season, he hauled in 23 passes for 423 yards but led all receivers in the championship final.
Needless to say, the veteran, 5’8″, 185 lb receiver is excited about the prospects of finally getting a chance to play this year after all the working out.
“I’m really excited! I’m looking forward to actual live competition. I’ve had access to a gym this whole time so I’ve been training normally but this is special.”
Although the team has been practicing, Kyei was about to attend his first workout with them.
“I’m going to my first practice today although the team has started practices earlier”
Sagne, 6’2″, 200 lb from Helsinki, spent the last two seasons with the Frankfurt Universe amassing 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns despite missing 11 games in 2018 due to injury. In 2016 and 2017, while with Dresden, he had 118 receptions for 2,189 yards and 33 touchdowns. Before his four years in Germany, Sagne played for both the Helsinki 69ers (2015 and the Helsinki Wolverines (2013-14). While with the 69ers he had 36 catches for 688 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games. He started his career with the Wolverines in 2013 playing in six regular season games (18 rec for 337 yds) but exploded in the championship game with three catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. In 2014, he was one of the leading receivers in Finland with 1,063 yards and 10 touchdown on 73 receptions.
Both Sagne and Kyei had their minds set on preparation for the CFL Combine and Draft and while that could still happen and they both have options in their contracts allowing them to leave for Canada at short notice, for Sagne this is a welcome opportunity:
“I’ve been preparing for the combine for months now and I simply needed to stay ready for it in a different way. My mind is still set to play over there but I just want to play football. And its been awhile since i actually played so i just wanna stay ready.”
For the Wolverines and athletic director Jan Vikko, their availability is ideal:
“Getting Micky and ‘Sebbe on the team after hard times is, of course, a big deal for Wolverines, but I think other teams will also benefit from this when they get to play against them. When the season starts at the turn of July-August, the Maple League will probably be the only operating American football league in the world – so we have a big chance to do something important through this, but at the same time the responsibility that the “product” is in order. The offense is now set and looks good.”
