Mika Zibanejad
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Birthday:
1993-04-18 |
Position:
C |
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Eligible for draft:
2011 |
Shoots:
Right |
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Drafted:
2011 |
Height:
6-2 |
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Acquired:
1st round (6th overall), 2011 |
Weight:
192 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- B
History
2008-09: Mika Zibanejad played for the AIK club for most of the season. For the Under-16 squad, Zibanejad scored 7 goals and added 8 assists for 15 points in 8 games. For the Junior 18-year-old team, he scored 2 goals and added 2 assists for 4 points in 11 games. In 4 games for Sweden's Under-16 team, Zibanejad scored 1 goal and added 1 assist for 2 points.
2009-10: Spent the season with the Djurgarden club. In 28 games for the Junior 18-year-old squad, Zibanejad scored 14 goals and added 21 assists for 35 points. In 5 playoff games at that level, He scored 5 goals and added 4 assists for 9 points. In 14 games for the Junior 20-year-old team, Zibanejad scored 2 goals and added 2 assists for 4 points. Zibanejad played for Sweden at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring 5 goals and adding 4 assists for 9 points in 6 games. In 13 international game overall, he scored 9 goals and added 6 assists for 15 points.
2010-11: Zibanejad again played for the Djurgarden organization. For the 20-year-old squad, he scored 12 goals and added 9 assists for 21 points in 27 games. He also played in 3 playoff games at that level, scoring 1 goal and adding 2 assists for 3 points. Zibanejad also saw his first action in Sweden's Elite league, scoring 5 goals and adding 4 assists for 9 points in 26 games. His point total was the most by an Under-18 player in that league. He also played in 7 playoff games at that level, scoring 1 goal and chipping in 1 assist for 2 points. Playing for Sweden at the 2011 Under-18 World Junior Championship, Zibanejad scored 4 goals and added 4 assists for 8 points in 6 games for the silver medalists.
2011-12: Zibanejad signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa in July 2011 and skated in nine games with the Senators before being re-assigned. He had 1 assist and was minus-three with 2 penalty minutes, seeing just under 13 minutes of ice time per game, in his brief NHL experience. Zibanejad returned to Sweden to play for Djurgardens, and represented Sweden at the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. He battled through a difficult first pro season as Djurgardens finished eleventh in the 12-team league and he missed several games due to injury. In 26 games he scored 5 goals and 8 assists and was minus-two. Zibanejad led Djurgardens in scoring during the 10-game Kval series, scoring 4 goals with 2 assists, and was plus-3 with 2 penalty minutes (Djurgardens was demoted to AllSvenskan after finishing third). In six games for gold medal-winning Sweden at the WJC he scored 4 goals with 1 assist and was plus-three. Zibanejad scored the gold-medal winning goal for Sweden in a 1-0 OT win over Russia.
Talent Analysis
There is a lot to like about Zibanejad’s game: offensive skills, intensity, skating and an impressive attitude. His two-way play is mature for a player his age and he just has an innate feel for many of the more subtle aspects of the game such as face-offs and reading the play along with the physical components required to win puck battles and playing tough but within the rules. The offensive skills are there and it’s a matter of more polish and experience at this point. Ottawa will look for him to keep his poise as he develops into a complete NHL power forward.
Future
Zibanejad is playing for Binghamton of the AHL for the 2012-13 season.
