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Brooks naming names - Mika Z

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“It represents a lot to ask, but the Blueshirts need more from Mika Zibanejad, who has been consumed by his match with Crosby. The challenge is immense, but this is No. 93’s chance to demonstrate that he belongs in the conversation about the NHL’s elite centers. So far, through three games in which he has one point at five-on-five (an assist), three points overall (three assists), and was an unindicted co-conspirator on the Penguins’ winning goal in Game 3, it has not gone as he might have hoped”
LB
 
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I just wrote this in the series thread but if Vatrano wasn't such a shoot first donk he would have found Zib for an easy tap in.
 
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Zibanejad is a 1C but he isn't Sidney Crosby.

So the fact that this has been uneven so far, I mean... what can you do? Kreider and Vatrano have found success. Zibby's been busy defensively.
 
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Kocur26 said:
“It represents a lot to ask, but the Blueshirts need more from Mika Zibanejad, who has been consumed by his match with Crosby. The challenge is immense, but this is No. 93’s chance to demonstrate that he belongs in the conversation about the NHL’s elite centers. So far, through three games in which he has one point at five-on-five (an assist), three points overall (three assists), and was an unindicted co-conspirator on the Penguins’ winning goal in Game 3, it has not gone as he might have hoped”
LB
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Mika is in the 1C conversation but he's definitely not in the elite 1C conversation.

Fitzy said:
Zibanejad is a 1C but he isn't Sidney Crosby.

So the fact that this has been uneven so far, I mean... what can you do? Kreider and Vatrano have found success. Zibby's been busy defensively.
Click to expand...

You can't ask Zibanejad to be something he's not and any series he faces a Crosby, or a McDavid, or a Matthews, or a MacKinnon, or an Aho, or a Barkov, etc, he is probably going to come up short in the measuring. He's not one of those guys.

We need a lot more forward talent, and it needs to include Lafreniere, Chytil and Kakko coming of age.

They've flashed, but only one of the three of those guys has potted a goal. One from Lafreniere and one from Chytil at critical moments in Game 1 and Game 3 and we might be up 3-0 in the series.

They are kids. They need to develop still.

And then, we need more top talent to replace the guys who are walking like Vatrano. Because even with Vatrano this looks very much like a first/second round team and definitely not a third/fourth round team. So eyes to the horizon for how else we can upgrade young forward talent. The build is not done.
 
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That 19-20 season Zibanejad was dominant.. he was an indisputable top 10 center that year, given his PKing and defense you could argue the top 5 within a few names. His shooting percentage was right around 20%. Even for the best scorers that is not an average rate, when guys hit that number its usually a career year. So I don't expect him to replicate it year in and year out. But there is something to be said in the difference between how he played that year and how he's played since. The numbers are kinda wild. In 24 less games that year compared to this season he only had 11 less shots. He was such a difference maker that season.

I'm not sure how to describe it but it just seems like the word is content. Hasn't really seemed as aggressive, not as willing to challenge guys 1 on 1, not shooting as much as 19-20. How many times this series where you want him to challenge the defender and he's content to throw it around the boards. Seems like instead of being THE guy on his line he's been content to give some of that to Kreider. Don't get me wrong, he's been fine.. its just that we've seen first hand, we know he has another gear. Maybe it's a mentality thing, a fitness thing, but he's playing just a notch below what he can really compete at. He doesn't need to shoot 20% or score 60 goals, but he's not doing some of the things that made him such a game breaker
 
Mika Zibanejad is tied for 23rd best points per game average in the NHL since 2018 - averaging 1.01 points per game in that span.

Tied with? Jack Eichel.

Notables that have been in this conversation?

Barkov 1.15
Malkin 1.10
Scheifele 1.05
McDavid 1.59
MacKinnon 1.31
Crosby 1.20
Stamkos 1.18
 
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I think we know our 2c of the future needs to be a defensive matchup 2c. Mika can't do this job. Let our wingers carry a center that knows how to play defense.
 
The obvious solution here, or at least something to try, would be to give Zibanejad some support and put Kakko on his right wing. Having Kakko (+Zib) on the ice against Crosby would make life harder for Crosby and easier for Zibanejad. Vatrano's skills can be used elsewhere.
 
duhmetreE said:
I'm not comparing the two. Cindy obviously outplays Zibs.

But Zibs needs to get back to his roots. Where has his goal scoring gone? He is a completely different player now. He needs to be leading the team in shots.
Click to expand...

He is playing a shutdown role because every other center on this team is absolutely horrendous at it. So he's had to adjust his focus. Maybe the Rangers should get another center who isn't entirely one dimensional (Strome), a child (Chytil) or complete trash (Rooney).
 
Brooks spot on and He is 100 percent right and is the only one that called out Nemeth as well. Nemeth has an excuse for being garbage what’s zibbys excuse? Oh yeah Brian Boyle is a superstar lol owned him multiple times that period
 
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Brooks isn’t wrong, but the bias and hate will cloud peoples judgements. 5 goals in 35 career playoff games for a sniper. 3 in 19 as a Ranger. $8.5M and locked in. I’m worried, and I have every right to be. They sank their teeth into Z, kreider, Trouba. Ugh.
 
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