Mika Zibanejad on the Verge of a Breakthrough Year

Last season, Sens fans saw a different looking team. Lots of young guys have been coming up over the last few years, but only a few have really stood out to the management in Ottawa. One of those players is Mika Zibanejad.

After fighting for a spot on the team in training camp last year, Zibanejad was sent down to Binghamton for the start of the season. He played 6 games in the AHL and then was brought back up to the big club and stayed for the rest of the season playing 69 games. In those 69 games, Zibanejad had 16 goals and 17 assists, recording a 33 point season while alternating between playing at right wing and centre. Although not groundbreaking numbers, he definitely stuck out like a sore thumb and was also a go-to-guy during the time of Jason Spezza's injury, filling in at centre alongside Milan Michalek. Averaging 14:19 minutes of ice time last season, one can only speculate that Zibanejad's usage will increase in a big way this year.

As a power forward, Zibanejad has three attributes that have proven most helpful to the Senators and have given him success:

Speed – The guy is fast. It's what makes him a great fit for a centre. He showed many times last season his ability to skate from either end of the ice with ease and great speed. At his young age, this talent has got nowhere to go but up.

Quick Release – Along with having a lot of power behind his shot, Zibanejad's quick release has taken many goaltenders by surprise. In a little flick of the wrist, he has been able to laser the puck top shelf many times.

Positioning – Zibanejad has great positioning, and a great vision for the game. Lots of his goals last season came from him using his speed and good positioning in the offensive zone to effectively put himself in the right place at the right time. 

Although a great asset for the Ottawa Senators, there is still one major hole in his game that Zibanejad needs to find an answer for. Sitting with a plus/minus of minus-15 last season, he must find a way to harness his speed and good positioning to help out in the defensive zone. He definitely has the potential to become a better defensive player in the upcoming season, fighting for the second line centre position. Zibanejad will be given the playing time to develop his skills and try to fix this whole in his game, as well as utilize the attributes that he already possesses.

Fighting for that second line centre spot will be a pivotal moment to Zibanejad's upcoming year, as he can expect his ice time to increase dramatically if he is chosen for the job. Along with that also comes the chance of Zibanejad being involved in the power play and penalty kill, which with his speed and vision, could quite possibly be a reality come October.

Nonetheless, the youngster is gearing up for an exciting year in Ottawa, a year that you won't want to miss.