Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[Peltz]

15 of Mika's goals and 12 of his assists came on the PP. Buch didn't play on PP1.

At even strength, Mika had 23 goals and 20 assists. Buchnevich had 12 goals and 25 assists. Only a difference of 6 points total.

Last year, Mika had 12 goals and 20 assists at even strength. Buch had 16 and 20, and carried that line in the early part of the year. They both had 4 points on the PK, where they tended to play together as well.

Mika's struggles this year have mostly been at 5 on 5. There's no passer on that line. Buch could score, but he was more of a playmaker than either Kreider or Zibs. None of the players we've put in that spot have been able to fill that role.

I've been saying this all season long. He doesn't have someone good enough to play with on RW when 5v5. I think he needs a threat on the RW to just give him more space and spread out the opposing team in the D zone. They all know that Goodrow or Hunt are not really a threat.

But I don't think the lack of a high end RW is enough to explain the lack of goal scoring.

If we watch the goals he scored in 19-20 season (which I think we all agree is his peak), you actually begin to notice that he can rip it from the top of the circles and beat goalies, deflect pucks, and skate with speed to generate odd-man rushes.



Yes, a few of those goals are set up by right wingers, but a lot of them are just Zib feasting on his own. He was like an animal possessed. He needs to hit that level again.

He's not putting himself in a position to score in the slot enough.

Nevertheless, I actually still really like his game this season. He's been great in his own zone and extremely underrated on the PP. He may not be a complete player right now, but the team is winning, so it's okay for him to take time to find his game.

Of course, if the team goes into a goal scoring drought, then the spotlight will be on him immediately (with tons of justification).

 

[Chytilmania]

He's a vegan?

Ask @Loki Dog 74

 

[duhmetreE]

He's a vegan?

He's sure as hell playing like one.

look at that video above. tofuMika is such a painful contrast.

 

[Sayba]

I've been saying this all season long. He doesn't have someone good enough to play with on RW when 5v5. I think he needs a threat on the RW to just give him more space and spread out the opposing team in the D zone. They all know that Goodrow or Hunt are not really a threat.

But I don't think the lack of a high end RW is enough to explain the lack of goal scoring.

If we watch the goals he scored in 19-20 season (which I think we all agree is his peak), you actually begin to notice that he can rip it from the top of the circles and beat goalies, deflect pucks, and skate with speed to generate odd-man rushes.



Yes, a few of those goals are set up by right wingers, but a lot of them are just Zib feasting on his own. He was like an animal possessed. He needs to hit that level again.

He's not putting himself in a position to score in the slot enough.

Nevertheless, I actually still really like his game this season. He's been great in his own zone and extremely underrated on the PP. He may not be a complete player right now, but the team is winning, so it's okay for him to take time to find his game.

Of course, if the team goes into a goal scoring drought, then the spotlight will be on him immediately (with tons of justification).

He skated faster, was more aggressive, had better puck luck, went to dirtier areas and used that backhand on a quite a few of them. Thanks for posting.

 

[duhmetreE]

Besides the Iron deficiency, he looks like he's trying to be Panarin now. His passing has improved but he's no longer shooting.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Seriously there must be a clause somewhere that him going vegan violates his contract

 

[Rempe73]

He skated faster, was more aggressive, had better puck luck, went to dirtier areas and used that backhand on a quite a few of them. Thanks for posting.

So true. That version of Mika was a top 5C that I wanted to keep over Eichel. Damn. I miss that.

 

[jay from jersey]

Besides the Iron deficiency, he looks like he's trying to be Panarin now. His passing has improved but he's no longer shooting.

Someone needs to start frying his chick peas and broccoli in bacon grease.
All jokes aside, I’m sure he’ll start playing better at some point this season. He hasn’t been outright terrible, but we’ve all seen the engaged Mika is a force on the ice. I don’t know if it’s covid, diet, fat cat contract and didn’t work as hard in the offseason, but it’s something. And this is why I cautioned many that trading for Eichel and going with him over the next 4-5 seasons rather then Mika for 7 -8 was the way to go

 

[will1066]

Besides the Iron deficiency, he looks like he's trying to be Panarin now. His passing has improved but he's no longer shooting.

LMAO

 

[Raspewtin]

looked just as pedestrian as ever last night.

it's not that he is playing poorly but he has completely gotten away from the game he plays that made him elite. super fast, lethal shot from everywhere on the ice, good stick work and work on the boards. none of that is there. his points feel like diet points from just existing.

 

[EdJovanovski]

I legitimately believe it's because of the diet. Is it 100% confirmed that he's vegan now? Going vegan can definitely impact strength & energy levels.

 

[Crease]

He is underperforming. But I also suspect 19-20 was his career year. In other words, he's closer to a 80 point guy than a 100 point guy for the remainder of his effective years.

 

[MyLoveIsBlue]

I legitimately believe it's because of the diet. Is it 100% confirmed that he's vegan now? Going vegan can definitely impact strength & energy levels.

Combine his diet with the concussions, he is so much more cautious and tentative in his play.

 

[broadwayblue]

He is underperforming. But I also suspect 19-20 was his career year. In other words, he's closer to a 80 point guy than a 100 point guy for the remainder of his effective years.

I'm fine with that.

 

[LokiDog]

I’m pretty sure the diet is a fabricated HF meme. His wife is vegan but I doubt he is. They’ve been together for a long time - why would he go vegan once they said their nuptials? It’s possible, but I’m pretty sure he also co-owns a burger chain with his brother.

It’s more likely that a huge contract combined with honey mooning all summer and knowing he’s set for life with a beautiful, famous and successful wife and huge salary simply makes a guy lose his edge, especially as you’re nearing 30 and those teenage T levels aren’t what they used to be.

To me, Mika just looks like a guy who lost his killer instinct. His rise was pretty meteoric. Looking like a bust/change of scenery candidate in Ottawa, comes over here has a solid year, followed by a 70 point year and then he’s getting talked about as a top 5 center in the world, pacing for nearly 60 goals/110 points. The hype and acknowledgement he got from that season was massive. Last year was probably closer to what to expect. He still showed he can explode for big production and put pucks in the net, but he wasn’t nearly that dominant force from the season prior.

I don’t think we’ll see hungry Mika very often, because Mika is no longer hungry. It doesn’t mean he’s not good. It just means we’re probably in for a decent two-way center who can light it up on the PP and paces about a point per game. Not a 100+ point phenomenon.

 

[Crease]

For what it's worth, he's listed at 200 lbs right now.

He was listed at 208 in 2020.

213 in 2019

227 in 2018.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

A lot of the leagues best goal scorers usually score all their goals in bunches, just how it works. I still expect there to be like a 5 game stretch where he scores a ton. Hes always needed a line driver at ES tho. Buch was that last 2 seasons and now Kakko is playing that role. He has looked better the last 2 games imo.

 

[Gr8CornHolio]

Let’s all cool down let’s remember this guy always starts the season slow. Im willing to be he is about 4-6 goals short of where he was 2019-2020.

 

[Peltz]

Kind of crazy that the team seems to have Mika exploding or Kreider exploding - but not both at the same time.

It's probably not really true, but it feels like that.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Who knows the reason, but he's definitely playing differently than he has in the past. He's never shot less on a per 60min basis as a Ranger with both the lowest xSh% and Sh% of his Rangers tenure as well.

On the PP, he's shooting at a similar rate to his career year, the SH% is lowest as a Ranger, but he's getting a lot more assists and specifically primary ones--often the last guy to touch the puck before Kreider puts it in.

I think he just doesn't think of himself as a goal scorer. Since the team is playing very well and he is in a big role on the team, it probably doesn't bother him at all not to be scoring. But, like Panarin, it's neutering his effectiveness overall to just decide a priori that scoring a goal isn't something he's going to do very often. Teams take that and say thanks, glad we don't have to worry about that.

Hopefully he can get a few in a streak and get that pride back. Maybe that would tempt him to shoot more. Otherwise, it's hard to see him changing much with how well the season's going.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I legitimately believe it's because of the diet. Is it 100% confirmed that he's vegan now? Going vegan can definitely impact strength & energy levels.

It's not.

He's had great games this year. He's just not playing well consistently enough.

 

[duhmetreE]

For what it's worth, he's listed at 200 lbs right now.

He was listed at 208 in 2020.

213 in 2019

227 in 2018.

He's definitely not faster losing that weight. He plays weaker and slower. He looks starved.

He changed his game to mimic Panarin. He's gotten away from everything that made him what he is.

 

[duhmetreE]

It's not.

He's had great games this year. He's just not playing well consistently enough.

I don't know about that.

He looked decent in the Pre-Season in the limited time.

 

[duhmetreE]

 

[Chytilmania]

For what it's worth, he's listed at 200 lbs right now.

He was listed at 208 in 2020.

213 in 2019

227 in 2018.

And people on here still say muscle weighs you down lol.

I'm not terribly concerned in the long run because he normally trains hard over the summer, but post COVID bubble plus having COVID and then being in Sweden all summer for his summer, that can also explain the 20 lbs lost. I'd expect next season closer to 210 and normal Mika. Still sucks because we really need him now if we are serious about a deep run.