Ottawa Senators sign Top Draft Pick, Mika Zibanejad, vows to impress club –NHL offseason Update
It is not something hidden that Ottawa Senators are doing all they can to rebuild their struggling National Hockey League (NHL) franchise and save it from slumping down even more when the next season starts in October.
In a highly expected move, Ottawa signed their top pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Mika Zibanejad, to a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday.
The Stockholm, Sweden native, was picked sixth overall during round-one by Ottawa and has finally achieved what he was thinking about from the time he was drafted, up until now.
"I'm excited. It's a dream coming true, for sure", said Zibanejad. "You've always been dreaming, and you always have a goal to make it to the NHL. I think I'm one step closer, but there's so much hard work left”.
Zibanejad joins a list of three other draft picks of this year’s entry draft, which have also been brought on board by their clubs by signing to entry-level contracts just like him. The first was Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the overall top pick, who was signed
by Edmonton Oilers, following Minnesota Wild’s, Jonas Brodin, and Calgary Flames, Sven Baertschi.
With all priorities now in place, Zibanejad must now focus on making his team proud, as he vowed that signing him would not be in vain.
"I'll try to do everything I can to make the team and help the Ottawa Senators win the Stanley Cup someday. It's very exciting and I'm really happy", said Zibanejad.
Now it is up to Zibanejad if he wants to spend his season with the NHL or return back to Djurgardens, a hockey franchise in the Swedish Elite League, which still have him under contract for another season.
Zibanejad must impress the Ottawa management to allow them to give him a permanent spot on their roster, otherwise he is compelled to return to Sweden and finish his time there.
“I really like the city, I really like everything I saw,” Zibanejad said. “I liked the arena, I liked the facility at the practice rink ... I love the fans already.
The 18-year-old is certainly excited about his chance in major league hockey, and it will be exciting to see how he does when the new season starts, if he make the line-up that is.
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