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Ziggy on target to raise Cane
Updated: Saturday November 10, 2001 2:33 AM
By Amy Nelson, Special to CNNSI.com BOSTON (Ticker) -- Go ahead. Tell Mike Zigomanis that's he's overrated. That he'll never make it to the NHL. That he doesn't have the speed or the size to be a true center. He doesn't mind. In fact, he'd prefer it. And he'll probably even laugh about it. Most people describe Zigomanis -- or "Ziggy" as his teammates refer to him -- as a leader by example, and he prefers to let his numbers, and not his mouth, do most of the talking. Maybe that's why, despite being in a contract dispute up until just 30 minutes prior to the start of Lowell's season, it should come as no surprise that Zigomanis assisted on the Lock Monsters' first tally of the season. Hockey was the first love of most kids who grow up in North York, Ontario. Zigomanis, however, preferred soccer. "I (always) wanted to play in the NHL," said Zigomanis. "It was a dream as a kid. But my passion was soccer. But, once I started playing competitively, it just sort of clicked." It sure has. In his brief pro career, Zigomanis has shown a penchant for points, a patience for promotion and flair for finesse which, some say, make him the smartest player on AHL ice. "He's a very smart player," said one NHL scout while watching Zigomanis recently. "He works well away from the puck, and he reads the ice well. For a 20 year-old kid, you couldn't ask for much more at this stage." This season, Zigomanis is proving that maybe its time for the hockey community to pay more attention to his play. He currently is tied for the league lead among rookies with 14 points and is tied for third in scoring on one of the AHL's top teams. "He's one of the smartest rookie players I've ever seen," said Lowell head coach Ron Smith. "Coming out of juniors and playing the pro game is not easy. And, he's done it very well." The Carolina Hurricanes draftee, who tallied 77 points in 52 games in juniors last season, is known throughout hockey circles as someone who knows how to play the game -- and play it the right way. Two years ago, he took home the Ontario Hockey League's award for gentlemanly play. For now, Zigomanis focuses on the task at hand and lets everyone else do the talking. After all, he's used to exceeding expectations. "Everybody said 'He'll never play Bantam or Midget,'" said Zigomanis with a laugh. "But the funny part is that I never played midget. I went from Bantam all the way to the UHL. It's a funny joke." What's no joke is how quickly Zigomanis has zipped his way up the Hurricanes' prospect charts. If he continues at this rate, Zigomanis could be packing his bags for Carolina before too long.
Q&A with Mike ZigomanisQ: How did you start playing hockey? A: I first started skating with my uncle and his children. I was terrible. My Dad didn't even want me going out there. He was like "Why do you even bother?" Q: When you went to Juniors, what was it like moving away from your family? A: It was weird. I moved away when I was 16 years old, and it was tough. I'm really close to my two older sisters and my parents. But, they came and supported me every weekend. My Dad only missed six or seven games, total, for four years. Q: Were you surprised when you were cut from the Hurricanes in training camp? A: A lot of guys who played in the AHL last year didn't even get a shot at an exhibition game. So, I was happy. At the same time I felt they didn't really give me a chance. But, part of the reason is maybe because I didn't have a contract. Q: Did you have a favorite player growing up? A: I always like Joe Sakic. Ever since he was with the Nordiques, he was one of my favorites. Q: Were you a Nordiques fan? A: No. I just like Joe Sakic. I used to always tell the scouts when I was interviewed -- when I was 17 -- "Joe Sakic," and they would look at me like I had two heads! But I showed them. Q: So, do you feel as though you're a bit underrated? A: Yes and no. But, that's fine with me. I'd much rather be underrated than overrated.
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