Zigomanis finds a home with Coyotes

By Matt Paulson, Tribune

December 4, 2006

Shy and reserved, center Mike Zigomanis can easily go unnoticed in the Coyotes' locker room. When he is seen, onlookers often comment that the pigeon-toed 25-year-old with wavy, untamed shoulder-length brunet hair looks nothing like today's prototypical NHL player.

Those statements don't hold true when Zigomanis is on the ice, though. After years of bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the minor leagues, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder has begun making noise with his game, forcing the opposition to account for his presence. “He reminds me of Kris Draper,” said associate coach Barry Smith, a former assistant with the Red Wings. “When (Draper) came up to us in Detroit, he hardly played. We got him from Winnipeg for a buck. He was down in the minors. We brought him up for faceoffs. The next thing you know, a couple years later, he's on Team Canada. It happens.” While the native of North York, Ontario (just outside Toronto), still has a ways to go before he is considered for a Canadian national team, his background is very similar to Draper's. Never given much of a chance in Carolina or St. Louis over the past three seasons, the faceoff specialist (55 percent) has taken full advantage of his opportunity with the Coyotes, who signed him in July and penciled him in on their opening-day roster at the start of training camp. Having compiled just four goals and seven points in 59 games coming into 2006-07, Zigomanis already has five goals and seven points in 18 games this season. His playing time (13:42) is up over four minutes compared to his career average, and he has maintained his faceoff winning percentage. “His speed is obviously his asset,” coach Wayne Gretzky said. “But he plays with much more grit than the naked eye can see. He's always in the shooting lane. He always takes a body, and he's being rewarded now offensively.” Always a solid checking center with good playmaking ability, Zigomanis has improved his puck-handling skills as well and now is centering a line which is often matched up against the opposition's best because of its strong play at both ends. “He's been a pleasant surprise,” said coach Wayne Gretzky, who has raved about the play of Zigomanis and linemates Oleg Saprykin and Georges Laraque for weeks now. “He's been a lot better than maybe everybody anticipated, and he's earned himself the right to be on this team for the entire year.” That is a significant jump for a player who had never appeared in more than 23 NHL games in a season before. After having to deal with the headaches of shuffling back and forth between the NHL and the minors, Zigomanis welcomes the chance to put down some roots. “I haven't really enjoyed (playing) as much (as I could have) in past years,” said Zigomanis, who added he's more relaxed this season. “Minus the losing, it's probably the most fun I've had playing.” Predators at Coyotes When: 7:30 p.m. today Where: Jobing.com Arena TV: FSN Arizona Radio: KDUS (1060 AM) Records: Nashville 17-5-3, Phoenix 9-15-0 Line: Nashville 135-155 Series history:Phoenix has lost seven of the past eight meetings, including this season's first, 4-1 Oct. 14 in Nashville. Phoenix leads 12-10-2-4 all time and is 8-4-0-2 at home. Scouting report: Predators — Nashville had its four-game losing streak snapped Saturday when it fell 4-3 in overtime to Chicago. The Predators lead the Central Division by five points and sport the West's best road record, 11-4-0. No. 1 goalie Tomas Vokoun (thumb) and top center Jason Arnott (knee) are both out, as is winger Scottie Upshall (groin). Right wing Steve Sullivan leads Nashville with 19 assists and 26 points while left wing Scott Hartnell is the only player who has reached double digits in goals (10). Coyotes — Phoenix has won four straight at home and five of eight overall. Newly acquired goalie Mikael Tellqvist will get his first start tonight for the Coyotes and will start again either Tuesday at Dallas or Wednesday at Chicago, coach Wayne Gretzky said. Tellqvist will be the fourth goalie Phoenix has used in 25 games this season.