I don't ever see that happening, especially when he's thrust into a role with twice the work load than he's used too
Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad [Warning Post #3]
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I don't ever see that happening, especially when he's thrust into a role with twice the work load than he's used too
- Jul 20, 2005
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There are a limited number of centers in the league who can put up 60+ points and they almost all play on the first line with good wingers.
The problem is we wont know what kind of numbers he can put up in a full season until he actually plays one.
That maybe so but the level of competition he goes against has increased dramatically so even though he may be playing the same minutes, they're much more demanding minutes..
will1066
If you score four, you better f'n win the game
- Oct 12, 2008
- 52,567
- 75,858
He is merely a symptom of the organization's focus of the last few years on finesse and skill. McCleod doesn't qualify as a course correction. I think they need a coach with a style and philosophy that is more in line with players like Miller, who brings decent skills but has some grit to them, and they need more players like him.
haveandare
Registered User
Why would we take away this season? He's 24 - take away a good season, add a rookie season and suddenly you're not getting a very clear picture of the player.
Over his entire time here he's been a fine 2C imo. He's not a 1C, not many teams have them. He's a dangerous player with the puck, and his hotter stretches are usually a lot longer than 10 games. When he had the best line mates for him to start this year, they were a great, great line, doing everything right, holding onto the puck for long stretches and peppering the other teams' net. Now they're both out and the team as a whole is extremely demoralized and playing like garbage. Singling him out isn't useful imo.
I think tossing him away and assuming that some unnamed but vaguely described player would be better is a way more clear example of wishful thinking.
I simply took away this year so that we can eliminate the injury factor and focus more on what he has done during his entire career.
While I agree with most of your post, I still don't see a 200 foot player.
Far from it in fact.
I don't deny that he has offensive skill but there are just way too many holes in his game for my liking.
One positive is not enough too just dismiss many more negatives IMO..
Samuel Culper III
Mr. Woodhull...
I’m not really up in arms about Z, personally. I think that watching him over this last stretch has confirmed some suspicions that started to creep in for me last year.
Those suspicions were that he is super talented and capable of more than we’ll ever see because he’s content to get by mostly on talent. He never was in the position that, for example, Grabner was in where he may not get another contract and learned that his skills (Grabner, especially with his speed, was fairly hyped as a prospect and rookie, but he had to remake his game) were not enough and he would have to work even harder. Not necessarily 100% focused on hockey - or at least, if everyone in the NHL is 100% focused because you really have to be to play at this level, not the type of guy who brings 110% often. I don’t love how disengaged he can look over very long stretches.
While I don’t think he is necessarily good enough to be a guy who controls the game, he is one of our most talented forwards and a guy who, if he had the work ethic of Grabner, could dominate a shift or two once per game, even if he didn’t put a point on the board. We don’t see that from him. We could, and he’s young enough that he may mature more and have a couple of career years in his late 20s, but we don’t see it now when I think we could. Which is frustrating.
He is also listed at 6’2 and various sources place him between 215-227lbs. Okay, that’s Ovechkin in his prime size. Zibanejad plays like he’s 190. If you’re not going to use that weight and you’re going to be on your butt so much, maybe you would benefit from trimming down to 200 and becoming faster? Because a guy who may be nearing 230lbs should not be spending so much of the game on his butt. Use that frame, be a possession monster, throw A (singular) hit! This is also frustrating.
I get why some people are getting fed up, with how the season is going Z disappearing right now only exasperates things but I’m not really up in arms with him. I just have kinda affirmed certain suspicions about who he is overall as a player. I hold to my original post that, if we could ever find a legitimate top line center I would hope that one of LA/Chytil pans out as a 2C and shift Z to RW for good. I think he would do better there.
Those suspicions were that he is super talented and capable of more than we’ll ever see because he’s content to get by mostly on talent. He never was in the position that, for example, Grabner was in where he may not get another contract and learned that his skills (Grabner, especially with his speed, was fairly hyped as a prospect and rookie, but he had to remake his game) were not enough and he would have to work even harder. Not necessarily 100% focused on hockey - or at least, if everyone in the NHL is 100% focused because you really have to be to play at this level, not the type of guy who brings 110% often. I don’t love how disengaged he can look over very long stretches.
While I don’t think he is necessarily good enough to be a guy who controls the game, he is one of our most talented forwards and a guy who, if he had the work ethic of Grabner, could dominate a shift or two once per game, even if he didn’t put a point on the board. We don’t see that from him. We could, and he’s young enough that he may mature more and have a couple of career years in his late 20s, but we don’t see it now when I think we could. Which is frustrating.
He is also listed at 6’2 and various sources place him between 215-227lbs. Okay, that’s Ovechkin in his prime size. Zibanejad plays like he’s 190. If you’re not going to use that weight and you’re going to be on your butt so much, maybe you would benefit from trimming down to 200 and becoming faster? Because a guy who may be nearing 230lbs should not be spending so much of the game on his butt. Use that frame, be a possession monster, throw A (singular) hit! This is also frustrating.
I get why some people are getting fed up, with how the season is going Z disappearing right now only exasperates things but I’m not really up in arms with him. I just have kinda affirmed certain suspicions about who he is overall as a player. I hold to my original post that, if we could ever find a legitimate top line center I would hope that one of LA/Chytil pans out as a 2C and shift Z to RW for good. I think he would do better there.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
Right now, Z looks like he's in the same category of guys like Stepan and Brassard, talented enough to quasi fill the first line role.
The part that is frustrating is that you can see all the tools for a guy who is capable of scoring 30 goals and 70 points.
The part that is frustrating is that you can see all the tools for a guy who is capable of scoring 30 goals and 70 points.
I agree 100% and I hope I'm not coming off like I hate the kid because that's simply not the case.
However, I knew this was going to be the player we got and I hated the trade since day one.
I see him as more of an opportunistic scorer/ complimentary player.
He'll never be the man..
At the end of the day, I still maintain my discontent with JG for putting him into a role he's not capable of handling.
It's been destined to fail since day one..
Not a winning player. Period. He’s a passenger at best. We need drivers. Next!
What gives you the indication that he has all these tools. In his 6 year career he has never been a #1 Center.
- Nov 2, 2011
- 7,970
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A very frustrating player. Some games he is visible although that doesnt mean is scoring in those games, and other games its like why did he bother showing up.
At least Stepan and Brassard played like they gave a damn. Sometimes that is half the battle to being a team that makes it to the playoffs
At least Stepan and Brassard played like they gave a damn. Sometimes that is half the battle to being a team that makes it to the playoffs
Crease
Chief Justice of the HFNYR Court
- Jul 12, 2004
- 24,796
- 27,796
Even if he were signed to play #2C,
that position requires a driver, not a passenger so if a good trade offer came in for him,
I wouldn't even blink.
He's gone..
Samuel Culper III
Mr. Woodhull...
I know I already said this, but I feel it was lost as just a minor detail in a more long winded post and I do wanna talk about it a bit because I was surprised to even realize it:
He is listed at 6’2 and various sources place him between 215-227lbs. That is Ovechkin-in-his-prime size.
Zibanejad plays like he’s 190. He looks like he’s 190. If he is 220+ he is FAR too timid. He could win puck battles just by leaning on guys. He ought to be much tougher to knock off of the puck and a very good possession player with his combination of size, hands and skating.
If you’re not going to use that weight and you’re going to end on your butt so often, maybe you would benefit from trimming down to 200 and becoming faster? If you want to play a finesse, elusive game, being heavy doesn’t really benefit you in any way and Z isn’t the kind of guy who just has a thick build either. He’s not just naturally a tree trunk so if he isn’t using that weight, he doesn’t need to be carrying it. He could be shifter and faster if he trimmed down. A guy who may be nearing 230lbs should not be spending so much of the game on his ass. Use that frame, be a possession monster, lay a decent body check. Otherwise, explain to me why Z is the same size as Kreider but plays like a kitten.
He is listed at 6’2 and various sources place him between 215-227lbs. That is Ovechkin-in-his-prime size.
Zibanejad plays like he’s 190. He looks like he’s 190. If he is 220+ he is FAR too timid. He could win puck battles just by leaning on guys. He ought to be much tougher to knock off of the puck and a very good possession player with his combination of size, hands and skating.
If you’re not going to use that weight and you’re going to end on your butt so often, maybe you would benefit from trimming down to 200 and becoming faster? If you want to play a finesse, elusive game, being heavy doesn’t really benefit you in any way and Z isn’t the kind of guy who just has a thick build either. He’s not just naturally a tree trunk so if he isn’t using that weight, he doesn’t need to be carrying it. He could be shifter and faster if he trimmed down. A guy who may be nearing 230lbs should not be spending so much of the game on his ass. Use that frame, be a possession monster, lay a decent body check. Otherwise, explain to me why Z is the same size as Kreider but plays like a kitten.
The way I see it is simple.
Granted he's only 24 years old but he's also been in the league a long time.
If he hasn't figured it out by now, he never will.
What you see is what you get.
It was a bad trade IMO.
Let him figure it out on some other team..
Oscar Lindberg
Registered User
Samuel Culper III
Mr. Woodhull...
I’m not even trying to debate his overall value or role on the team. I’m just amazed he’s listed as being that large yet plays so small. He has all the tools and the size but he seems to have very little desire. A player that big, with his shot, hands, skating, etc. should be able to impose his will. He isn’t nearly as fast as Kreider but he definitely has better hands and a better shot. I would never have guessed he’d be near 227. Guy should be dominant. It has to be a drive issue.
Oscar Lindberg
Registered User
Very excited for Mika’s NMC to kick in so we can end these garbage conversations of him needing to be moved
What is it that excites you exactly?
The thought of having a quasi #1C that would rather DJ instead of showing up on game day?
He's outty! Lol
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