After setting career highs in points, goals, hits, and assists last year, Ola Wagstrom is looking to improve even further with his new team. And many pundits think he is capable of skill levels greater than what he has already displayed. Glowing reviews have appeared in the New England papers and the Wolfpack fans are buzzing with excitement to see Wagstrom line up with stars like Manuel Gotze and Rafe Ulrich. So what are the fans in for? Here's some of the reasons everyone is so enamored with Wagstrom and why he is a player to watch:

Scoring is what Ola Wagstrom primarily excels at. He is the definition of a volume shooter, and has a hard, accurate shot to go with the shots total. He's never shy to take the shot and to just throw the puck on goal, so oftentimes he catches goalies sleeping. He has a laser of a one-timer on the power play, and he can find the back of the net from any angle. His backhander is as elite as they come; he can slip the puck into the top corner of the goal with ridiculous ease, as if he was on his forehand. This slick backhand is a rarity in the league, and can be very deceptive for opposing netminders trying to decipher what he will do. His shooting percentage has always been average, so if he can take a few steps forward in that regard, he should be even more dangerous than he already is. He was among the top scorers in juniors in his second and final season with the Falcons, and he is looking to join the elite ranks of SHL scorers as well.

Skating is important in today's speed-based hockey, and staying true to his Swedish heritage, Wagstrom has an excellent first step and accelerates to full speed in a matter of seconds. Defensemen expect him to be fast after all these years, but are still quite surprised when he turns on the jets and breezes past them with minimal effort. This element of surprise is usually how he gets breakaways, and he is deadly at converting on those. His fluid strides look graceful and effortless, and he can beat the majority of his peers in puck races: a helpful feat on the defensive side of the game.

To all the hockey fans who scream "SHOOT THE PUCK!" in frustration on the power play as their stars make twenty cute passes, they will be instantly enamored with Ola Wagstrom. Ola loves to compare himself to Steven Stamkos, one of the greatest snipers in recent NHL history. He is the type of player every team dreams of to lurk on the wings on a power play unit, and should bring on goals galore in New England. But make no mistake, Wagstrom can pass the puck too with deceptive accuracy. He finds gaps in the defense and threads passes as smoothly as just about anyone in the game. And he's always ready to receive passes too; his positioning is always textbook. He tends to be in the right place at the right time, and that's how he racks up points. Repeating 40 points is definitely doable, but 50 points isn't unattainable either; Wagstrom should not be underestimated.

Ola Wagstrom also brings something else to the table; physicality. He has become to play a tough, physical game, and has dealt some bone-crunching hits that have certainly left a mark. He will also use poke checks and positioning as a means of defense, using every angle possible to strip his opponent of the puck. When players are zipping up the boards, they need to be hammered into their own bench, and Wagstrom will be there ready to a deliver a crusher. He racks up a decent number of hits, and uses his size as a means of extending his reach and invoking fear into opposing benches.

Getting a player that can drive the play the way Wagstrom does has to be viewed as an absolute win for New England. After 7 seasons as a part of the Jets organization, Wagstrom was ready for a change of scenery with long-time Winnipeg GM Gary Grease on the way out. The trade was unforeseen to the public and to most of the Jets organization, but the Swede says he wishes his former teammates all the best and will miss them dearly. The right winger seems excited to be in New England, and New England is mirroring the hype. If you tune out the names, from some of the high praise lavished on Wagstrom, you would think they were referring to Wayne Gretzky. A lot of serious people think that he is seriously legit, and that has to count for something.

At any rate, Wagstrom is a player primed for a possible breakout and looking to build on an impressive campaign from S49. S50 marks the heights of his prime, so if there is a chance to show the world what he is made of, it has to be seized now. New England will be looking to win a Cup after making it to the finals and coming up short this year, and Wagstrom is looking to be the piece that pushes them over the top. Now, it just remains to be seen how the season will play out and how the cards will be dealt. There will be great challenges in the Wolfpack's conference, with the Manhattan Rage looking like a top tier team again, but with solid performances all around, there shouldn't be any team they can't handle. Johannes Leitner will need to come up big again, of course, and the offense and defense need to run like a well-oiled machine. Wagstrom has time to build some chemistry with his new teammates and to get some practice in the preseason before we officially see how this little experiment works out for New England. Whatever the case, the potential is pretty darn tantalizing at this point in time.