Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad [Warning Post #3]

[Fvital92]

I'd argue he was the primary driver of the Wolski-Stepan-Zuccarello line in 2010-11 and the Clowe/Pyatt-Richards-Zuccarello lines in 2013 as well.

And while Kreider may have been the primary driver in 2016-17, Nash in 2017-18 and Kreider/Hayes in 2018-19 I don't think its fair to characterize Zuccarello as a passenger outside certain stretches.

E: I want to emphasize that my position is also that Kreider, not Zibanejad, is the primary driver on the current line.

Kreider definitely is the main driver in this team, but Zibanejad was scoring with Fast and Namestnikov, 2 bottom 6 players. He will be fine without Zucc and Kreider.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Hit 40 points on March 5th that season - which is a little skewed by the Olympic break.

That was the lockout season

 

[Ghost of jas]

Yet I recall few people *****ing and moaning about trading away Brass. Brassard has 14 points in 39 games this season.

Eh, reviewing the trade thread, most posters were on board with the trade. Everyone acknowledged what Brassard meant, but most saw the potential upside to the trade, which is pretty much what we are now seeing. Even those who didn’t like the deal from an emotional standpoint, such as @Machinehead , admit now it was a good trade.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Kreider definitely is the main driver in this team, but Zibanejad was scoring with Fast and Namestnikov, 2 bottom 6 players. He will be fine without Zucc and Kreider.

Zibanejad has scored 1.37 P/60 with Namestnikov as his linemate this year, which is awful (would rank 233/360 among forwards with 300+ 5v5 minutes this season)

Zib has scored well with Fast 5v5 this year, but that was almost solely when Kreider was on the other wing.

 

[Leonardo87]

Are people saying that Zibanejad is riding Zuccarello’s coattails? Gimme a break. Come on now, not giving Mika his credit due. Zucc has no coattails this season. Sure, if Zucc was Nikita Kucherov then maybe Mika’s stats would be a tad inflated and would have less credit to his total points.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Hit 40 points on March 5th that season - which is a little skewed by the Olympic break.

Lockout season which started in January

 

[Blue Blooded]

Are people saying that Zibanejad is riding Zuccarello’s coattails? Gimme a break. Come on now, not giving Mika his credit due. Zucc has no coattails this season. Sure, if Zucc was Nikita Kucherov then maybe Mika’s stats would be a tad inflated and would have less credit to his total points.

Zuccarello's mother, @Webster, claimed that Quinn had said so - or rather that Zucc is the one driving that line.

I pointed out that Zibanejad hasn't been able to score without the help of another linemate, namely Kreider. In fact, Zibanejad has only been on the ice for 1.33 GF/60 without Kreider 5v5 in 2018-19 and a measly 2.02 GF/60 over the whole 2016-19 sample. Kreider has had no such issues away from Zibanejad.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Zuccarello's mother, @Webster, insinuated as much.

I pointed out that Zibanejad hasn't been able to score without the help of another linemate, namely Kreider. In fact, Zibanejad has only been on the ice for 1.33 GF/60 without Kreider 5v5 in 2018-19 and a measly 2.02 GF/60 over the whole 2016-19 sample. Kreider has had no such issues away from Zibanejad.

And this remains the reason why Gorton needs a massive overpayment to deal Kreider. His value is greatly underestimated.

 

[Webster]

If you don't want to listen to me, then listen to the coach...

Mika and Kreider will definitely miss Zucc's playmaking skills and leadership.

 

[Leonardo87]

Zuccarello's mother, @Webster, claimed that Quinn had said so - or rather that Zucc is the one driving that line.

I pointed out that Zibanejad hasn't been able to score without the help of another linemate, namely Kreider. In fact, Zibanejad has only been on the ice for 1.33 GF/60 without Kreider 5v5 in 2018-19 and a measly 2.02 GF/60 over the whole 2016-19 sample. Kreider has had no such issues away from Zibanejad.

Kreider is another story. Dude is a beast , but still need to give some credit to Mika.

 

[Blue Blooded]

And this remains the reason why Gorton needs a massive overpayment to deal Kreider. His value is greatly underestimated.

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak is the only line in the league I can think of that wouldn't improve by putting Kreider on it*. He'd unironically score 90 points with MacKinnon/Rantanen, Kucherov/Point or McDavid.

*Assuming Kreider or <other winger> could transition to RW without losing much effectiveness.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Mika and Kreider will be fine with out the guy who is clearly the third best player on their line.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Mika and Kreider will be fine with out the guy who is clearly the third best player on their line.

Hence Fast’s uptick in production when he gets put with the two of them.

 

[haohmaru]

Lockout season which started in January

That was 2012-13, not 2013-14 which is what I was referencing. There’s a 20 day gap in February and there were Winter Olympics in 2014,..

(Edit) The OP said “2013” so I assumed he meant the 2013-14 season - I see he was talking about 2012-13, not the 2013 season.

 

[Kovalev27]

Put Panarin next to Mika and he’s a 90 pt player

 

[Leonardo87]

Put Panarin next to Mika and he’s a 90 pt player

Wouldn't mind seeing that.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

If you don't want to listen to me, then listen to the coach...

Mika and Kreider will definitely miss Zucc's playmaking skills and leadership.

This is the same coach who consistently plays McLeod, scratches DeAngelo, keeps juggling line-combinations and, of course, has played Marc Staal every single game so far this season.

Let's not pretend as if Quinn is always right.

 

[Machinehead]

Eh, reviewing the trade thread, most posters were on board with the trade. Everyone acknowledged what Brassard meant, but most saw the potential upside to the trade, which is pretty much what we are now seeing. Even those who didn’t like the deal from an emotional standpoint, such as @Machinehead , admit now it was a good trade.

Even in that thread, I was nice to Zibanejad. I was just really mad at AV that day in particular.

 

[Miamipuck]

This is the same coach who consistently plays McLeod, scratches DeAngelo, keeps juggling line-combinations and, of course, has played Marc Staal every single game so far this season.

Let's not pretend as if Quinn is always right.

No Webster is correct, Zucc is the reason the Rangers are the 3 time defending Stanley Cup Champions, amirite?


If you read his posts, Zucc's tears cure all diseases known to man.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

If you don't want to listen to me, then listen to the coach...

Mika and Kreider will definitely miss Zucc's playmaking skills and leadership.

Sounds like a sales pitch

 

[darko]

Off course Ziba and Kreider will miss Zucc. He's a very talented player but to say he drives the play on that line is silly.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Off course Ziba and Kreider will miss Zucc. He's a very talented player but to say he drives the play on that line is silly.

Those two are successful with anyone on RW.

 

[Webster]

So Quinn is silly? He tried with Buch or Fast up there, not much happened then...good luck with that.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

So Quinn is silly? He tried with Buch or Fast up there, not much happened then...good luck with that.

Funny you say that, because Kreider-Zibanejad-Fast creates more offense than Kreider-Zibanejad-Zuccarello

 

[Inferno]

Whoever plays with kreider produces.

It's not about how awesome zibanejad is...it's not about how awesome Hayes is...kreider is the common piece and it's everywhere he plays.

That's why if we're trading kreider I'd want a Kings ransom back...I'd want Ottawas first for him...that's how important and talented he is.