No World Junior Champions for Ottawa Senators Mika Zibanejad -NHL Update
Keeping in view what is best for one of their leading prospects, the Ottawa Senators have directed Mika Zibanejad to remain in North America and continue playing with their minor league affiliates in the American Hockey League (AHL), the Binghamton Senators.
Zibanejad, who is a sixth overall pick of the first round of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators, is one of those players that have their names written in the history books at such a young age. He was a major factor in
the Swedish National Junior Team during the 2012 World Junior Championship ending their winless streak which lasted over 30 years.
"We feel like keeping Mika here to play in North America is the best decision for his development," Senators general manager Bryan Murray said, according to NHL.com. "As a young player and person, he’s learning how to play the North American style and continues
to progress playing for Luke [Richardson, coach] in Binghamton. Our opinion is that the best way to continue his progress towards becoming an impact player with the Senators is to spend the full season here."
Zibanejad is a 19-year-old centre player for the Ottawa Senators and has played in nine major league games with them up until now this past season in which he recorded one assist and two minutes in penalty time.
The Stockholm, Sweden, native is also currently locked on with the major league club to a three-year, entry-level contract, which is worth a total of $2.775 million. It has an annual salary cap hit, if he plays in the North American major league, of $1.744
million and a yearly salary of $70,000 if he plays in the minor leagues.
There is no doubt in the playing capabilities of Mika Zibanejad, and also in the decision of the Ottawa Senators to be a wise one as the player could use the experience at the moment with a lot of veteran players currently in the AHL due to the lockout and
allow him to learn more from there instead of joining a team of youngsters abroad.
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