Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[Peltz]

Moments that just make you shake your head.

1. Barkov on the ice against the the boards with Mika. Mika trying to battle him for the puck. He just stands there with this clueless look. Doesnt win battle
2. The turnover in OT. Just a shameless stupid pass.
3. Empty net? Mika looking to refs for a penalty.
4. PP Struggling. Mika throws a weak slapper at the blueline with 4 dudes ready to block his weak shot.
I can go on. His decision making was awful and the dude simply cant score at even strength. He gets shut down by any sort of physical center. Thats like, all of them.

He isnt a leader on this team. He is what he is. And thats a soft PP specialist.

I gave Mika the benefit of the doubt way too often over the years because I know there's a good player in there somewhere. But this series is likely his last shot at becoming a champion. Whether you call it a lack of competence or a lack of will isn't really relevant.

The bottom line is that his contract is too high for someone who plays like this in a physical series. Trocheck is a better playoff performer by far and costs $3m less in cap.

Barkov has an even higher cap hit than Zib, but he's earning every penny out there.

He's playing like a third liner on a cup winning team right now. Earning $8.5m per year.

With Zibanejad, Panarina, and Trouba you have over $27,000,000 being spent on three players who are completely ineffective in this series.

People say that Hank would have won if he had this level of talent on the roster back in 2014. Now, I'm not so sure about that.

 

[NikC]

Moments that just make you shake your head.

1. Barkov on the ice against the the boards with Mika. Mika trying to battle him for the puck. He just stands there with this clueless look. Doesnt win battle
2. The turnover in OT. Just a shameless stupid pass.
3. Empty net? Mika looking to refs for a penalty.
4. PP Struggling. Mika throws a weak slapper at the blueline with 4 dudes ready to block his weak shot.
I can go on. His decision making was awful and the dude simply cant score at even strength. He gets shut down by any sort of physical center. Thats like, all of them.

He isnt a leader on this team. He is what he is. And thats a soft PP specialist.

2 losses with his name on it...

 

[SA16]

I gave Mika the benefit of the doubt way too often over the years because I know there's a good player in there somewhere. But this series is likely his last shot at becoming a champion. Whether you call it a lack of competence or a lack of will isn't really relevant.

The bottom line is that his contract is too high for someone who plays like this in a physical series. Trocheck is a better playoff performer by far and costs $3m less in cap.

Barkov has an even higher cap hit than Zib, but he's earning every penny out there.

He's playing like a third liner on a cup winning team right now.

Was Trocheck a better playoff performer than him last year when Trocheck had 1 point in 7 playoff games? Or his entire career before this year when he had 17 points in 40 playoff games? Nobody would have ever said Trocheck put up good performances in the playoffs until this year when he has done it. He had 1.12 pts/60 in 40 playoff games before this season. Looks like Trocheck was always a guy who wilted under pressure. What changed that suddenly he's now a good playoff player?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Was Trocheck a better playoff performer than him last year when Trocheck had 1 point in 7 playoff games? Or his entire career before this year when he had 17 points in 40 playoff games? Nobody would have ever said Trocheck put up good performances in the playoffs until this year when he has done it.

Didn’t Zib have 1 point last year also? lol

 

[Nyr88nyg]

He's a 1C if you are counting the best 32 centers in the league. He's just not a great one.

Guess who wins all the Cups? The MacKinnons, the Crosbys, the Toewses. Jack Eichel.

We need one on that level. Mika is not.

He's stalemating Barkov in terms of points when they are on the ice together, but give me a break. Everyone watching this series knows which player is way better and making a bigger impact.

When I say real 1C, I imply it’s one that gives you a chance at a cup. Aka top 10 center. He ain’t close to one

 

[Synergy27]

Hot take. Our center depth is fine. Zib had two assists last night. Trocheck is awesome.

We can’t score five in five because our defense sucks. Upgrading Trouba and Lindgren and getting Fox back healthy fix a lot problems.

 

[Captain Lindy]

Any chance he's playing injured?

He's been playing soft like this all year.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

He's been playing soft like this all year.

Not only soft but he has some kind of mental block and only likes to take that one-timer of his from the bumper.

I seriously don't get it because he was a versatile goal scorer.

 

[Captain Lindy]

Not only soft but he has some kind of mental block and only likes to take that one-timer of his from the bumper.

I seriously don't get it because he was a versatile goal scorer.

The definition of insanity. Repeating the same action and expecting a different result.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

The definition of insanity. Repeating the same action and expecting a different result.

This is where Lavy is to be blamed as well. There were numerous chances where he could have taken him off the PP because of it, but he kept playing him.

We were scoring on the PP but not because of him but in spite of him, and now our PP is biting us on the ass. Lavy won't even allow Laffy to sniff PP1 minutes.

 

[JohnC]

Bear with me on my hazy memory here…

Sort of reminds me of the Lightning not being able to get it done with Stamkos as their 1C for over a decade until Brayden Point emerged and pushed him to wing.

 

[SA16]

Sort of reminds me of the Lightning not being able to get it done with Stamkos as their 1C for over a decade until Brayden Point emerged and pushed him to wing.

Because they pushed Stamkos to wing or because out of nowhere they found another point per game player who was vastly underpaid?

 

[NYRangers0723]

Hot take. Our center depth is fine. Zib had two assists last night. Trocheck is awesome.

We can’t score five in five because our defense sucks. Upgrading Trouba and Lindgren and getting Fox back healthy fix a lot problems.

I mean he technically had two assists but he hasn’t been great. If you look at his point totals this year it looks ok but the majority of fans would agree that he didn’t have a good year

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Mika's fine and he's going to have a monster Game 6 and 7 to help send us to the Cup Finals.

 

[Atax]

Mika's fine and he's going to have a monster Game 6 and 7 to help send us to the Cup Finals.

Fine ???????? What?

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Fine ???????? What?

6 shots on goal in Game 4, two assists in Game 5. Mika May is about to begin.

 

[Peltz]

Was Trocheck a better playoff performer than him last year when Trocheck had 1 point in 7 playoff games? Or his entire career before this year when he had 17 points in 40 playoff games? Nobody would have ever said Trocheck put up good performances in the playoffs until this year when he has done it. He had 1.12 pts/60 in 40 playoff games before this season. Looks like Trocheck was always a guy who wilted under pressure. What changed that suddenly he's now a good playoff player?

He drives to the blue paint. That's what's changed. Zib should watch and learn.

Zib is a periphery shooter now. It's nuts that this is the same guy from 2020 who scored 5 goals in a single game and got most his goals by streaking to the net with the puck on his stick.

 

[duhmetreE]

6 shots on goal in Game 4, two assists in Game 5. Mika May is about to begin.

Mika Pride Month about to start

he's gonna go hard in June

 

[Peltz]

Mika's fine and he's going to have a monster Game 6 and 7 to help send us to the Cup Finals.

What series are you watching dude?

 

[NickyFotiu]

The main problem is you can’t really expect Trochek to be. PPG Center going forward either.

This year was kind of an aberration where everything lined up for the 3 of them.
If you can count on troch to be a 60-65pt C and raise his game in the postseason, that’s a home run and realistic for what he’s being paid.

Realistic expectations have to be factored in on all future gets, and on players we currently have. If they over perform or have terrific/career years, that’s wonderful but shouldn’t be expected either.
My fear is chytil at the wing is going to be a permanent situation from here on out. And frankly, it should be. He’s an injury threat and can’t be counted on for a full year. Until he turns that around, he should be considered as such.
Find a replacement winger vs center in case of injury is just much much easier.

Ideally you have a 1C star, and 2 guys like troch as your 2A-2B options. Guys that can slide up and cover for an injury for 15 games or so and not look out of place.
I don’t mind chytil having to play center if need be to fill in for injury. It’s great that he’ll be able to do that, but he’s being paid and counted on as a center for this team, and I don’t think he’s going to be that anymore….
NYR and Lavi have to hammer out the guys/roles of what we have in place, what we need, and what roles are up for grabs in can thru competition

Jay that is why I look at this as a very fast closing window. Bread, Zibs, Ck, Vince are all on the wrong side of 30. Fans like our young guys but none of them except Laf and maybe Chytil (health) are in danger of being top 6 players. Our front office is going to have some big decisions.

 

[Atax]

He drives to the blue paint. That's what's changed. Zib should watch and learn.

Zib is a periphery shooter now. It's nuts that this is the same guy from 2020 who scored 5 goals in a single game and got most his goals by streaking to the net with the puck on his stick.

Concussions happened. I dont blame the guy for changing his game. He's got a life outside of hockey to worry about. I'd want to live a long healthy life too without the risk of having my brain explode from another huge hit.

But his game is declining. And its time to move on if were able to move him.

 

[duhmetreE]

Maybe move him to wing? but who plays Center then.

 

[Siddi]

Florida is doing the same thing Tampa, the Devils, and Carolina did to him. Matched him up against a superior center.

He’s not a 1C. Legitimate 1Cs don’t get caved by Cirelli, Hischier, Staal, and Barkov. They at least hold their own somewhat in those matchups.

We’re batting a guy cleanup who has a .091 batting average against pitchers who are top 2 in their rotations. That player isn’t good enough to be in that position, full stop.

Is keeping Barkov pointless not "holding his own somehow"?

Which line has started every game of the series? Which center started game 4 overtime? Which line has Lavi chosen to matchup with Barkov? It’s Mika.

And Barkov was pointless with 2 shots/game until Maurice decided to ice him away ffrom Mika.

 

[Crease]

If the idea is to use Mika to neuter Barkov, the math ain’t mathing, because the rest of the Panthers are outshooting and outscoring the rest of the Rangers.