Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[SA16]

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.

Most of the Panthers top guys haven't been scoring either. The takes in this series have been weird. In 5 games Tkachuk has 5 points (on a very soft goal), Barkov has 4 points, Reinhart has 3 points, Montour has 1 point, Tarasenko has 0 points. At 5v5 Barkov has 1 point, Reinhart has 0 points, Montour has 0 points.

 

[bouds]

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?

What changed is that he’s playing with Panarin, that man makes the guys around him better

 

[bleedblue94]

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.

So it's our defenses fault that our forwards can't establish any sort of consistent forecheck?

Anybody that's watching these games can see that that NYR can't establish enough consistent offensive zone time over the course of 60 minutes and that it's taking a toll on the entire roster having to constantly play defense and chase the puck

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Most of the Panthers top guys haven't been scoring either. The takes in this series have been weird. In 5 games Tkachuk has 5 points (on a very soft goal), Barkov has 4 points, Reinhart has 3 points, Montour has 1 point, Tarasenko has 0 points. At 5v5 Barkov has 1 point, Reinhart has 0 points, Montour has 0 points.

True. Power plays have been the difference.

And Zib is murdering ours

 

[SA16]

What changed is that he’s playing with Panarin, that man makes the guys around him better

Oh that’s weird cause I’m told Panarin is bad in the playoffs

 

[Siddi]

Laugh emoji all you want but all I am poiting out is that Barkov was held out of the score sheet for 2 straight games when playing against Mikas line. Maurice then decided to match Barkov against Trochecks line from game 3 and that is where everything started to fall apart. Game 1 and 2 Rangers were the better team. Coincidence?

Look, Mika is not going anywhere. He is going to be on this team for another 6 seasons. Hopefully this is just a down season for him and he can turn it around. Mika will not be the first player in history to turn it around after a less than desired season.

 

[Synergy27]

So it's our defenses fault that our forwards can't establish any sort of consistent forecheck?

Anybody that's watching these games can see that that NYR can't establish enough consistent offensive zone time over the course of 60 minutes and that it's taking a toll on the entire roster having to constantly play defense and chase the puck

Yes. Our transition game is brutal and that’s largely on the defense.

 

[Atax]

Laugh emoji all you want but all I am poiting out is that Barkov was held out of the score sheet for 2 straight games when playing against Mikas line. Maurice then decided to match Barkov against Trochecks line from game 3 and that is where everything started to fall apart. Game 1 and 2 Rangers were the better team. Coincidence?

Look, Mika is not going anywhere. He is going to be on this team for another 6 seasons. Hopefully this is just a down season for him and he can turn it around. Mika will not be the first player in history to turn it around after a less than desired season.

We got caved in for like 95% of this series. Mika didnt shut down anything. Mika has been completely awful at even strength all season. This isnt a down year for Mika. This is who he is now. He's a PP merchant who cant handle physical play.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

What series are you watching dude?

I didn't say he HAS been good. I'm saying he's fine and will be huge in Games 6 and 7. Giving you all a preview into the future. You're welcome.

 

[Peltz]

I didn't say he HAS been good. I'm saying he's fine and will be huge in Games 6 and 7. Giving you all a preview into the future. You're welcome.

I hope you're right.

 

[Siddi]

We got caved in for like 95% of this series. Mika didnt shut down anything. Mika has been completely awful at even strength all season. This isnt a down year for Mika. This is who he is now. He's a PP merchant who cant handle physical play.

Rangers were the better team in game 1 & 2 which led to Maurice actively change his matchups for game 3. You think he decided to ice Barkovs line against Trocheck in game 3 & 4 for fun?

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[Jauffre]

"A future power forward with soft hands. A strong skater, more sturdy and solid than fast, but that enables him to play along the boards and in the corners effectively. He has great vision and isn't afraid to make a big hit and play a physical game. Projects to be a Mikka Koivu type player that along with more improvement could surprise down the road. No longer the best kept secret in Europe. Should go in the top 10 of a very deep draft."

"A very skilled center/winger with good hands and a terrific eye for the game. A modern power forward with good skating. Likes to go into heavy traffic and play physically. Takes care of defensive duties well and has strong faceoff skills. Very good release." (Matias Strozyk)
---

He used to be known for his physical game as a young player, that's long gone. Wonder how much of it was the concussion issues. He's had like 5 or 6 of them that we know of.

 

[Jauffre]

So it's our defenses fault that our forwards can't establish any sort of consistent forecheck?

Anybody that's watching these games can see that that NYR can't establish enough consistent offensive zone time over the course of 60 minutes and that it's taking a toll on the entire roster having to constantly play defense and chase the puck

It's definitely a part of it no? The D is hugely responsible for not only getting the puck out in general but transitioning the offense, it's all connected. There's a flow to getting your forecheck going and it starts with zone exits. This D core has always struggled with both. Trouba is what he is, nothing else needs to be said. Miller is hit or miss but when he fumbles, it's big time. Schneider is baby Trouba in more ways than one, definitely isn't something he excels at. Lindgren has to lose an eye and two fingers just to get a clear.

Literally only Adam Fox can make a hockey play out of the zone consistently.

The rest of the D are atrocious at it, and I think it's a big reason why the D and F groups are always out of sync coming out of the zone. Poor zone exits = inefficient neutral zone transition = poor forecheck. It all starts from our end. It's the most apparent it's ever been in this series.

I won't deny that our forwards may actually just suck at forechecking in general. Tough to say for sure just how much of it's that vs. the D's inability to make clean exits.

 

[bleedblue94]

It's definitely a part of it no? The D is hugely responsible for not only getting the puck out in general but transitioning the offense, it's all connected. There's a flow to getting your forecheck going and it starts with zone exits. This D core has always struggled with both. Trouba is what he is, nothing else needs to be said. Miller is hit or miss but when he fumbles, it's big time. Schneider is baby Trouba in more ways than one, definitely isn't something he excels at. Lindgren has to lose an eye and two fingers just to get a clear.

Literally only Adam Fox can make a hockey play out of the zone consistently.

The rest of the D are atrocious at it, and I think it's a big reason why the D and F groups are always out of sync coming out of the zone. Poor zone exits = inefficient neutral zone transition = poor forecheck. It all starts from our end. It's the most apparent it's ever been in this series.

I won't deny that our forwards may actually just suck at forechecking in general. Tough to say for sure just how much of it's that vs. the D's inability to make clean exits.

I think you can criticize the d for breakouts and outlets, but blaming d for forward inability to effective chip pucks in and attack in a 3 man unit to sustain some zone time just doesn't make sense to me

Yes. Our transition game is brutal and that’s largely on the defense.

Transition is different than forecheck.

 

[RangersFan1994]

"A future power forward with soft hands. A strong skater, more sturdy and solid than fast, but that enables him to play along the boards and in the corners effectively. He has great vision and isn't afraid to make a big hit and play a physical game. Projects to be a Mikka Koivu type player that along with more improvement could surprise down the road. No longer the best kept secret in Europe. Should go in the top 10 of a very deep draft."

"A very skilled center/winger with good hands and a terrific eye for the game. A modern power forward with good skating. Likes to go into heavy traffic and play physically. Takes care of defensive duties well and has strong faceoff skills. Very good release." (Matias Strozyk)
---

He used to be known for his physical game as a young player, that's long gone. Wonder how much of it was the concussion issues. He's had like 5 or 6 of them that we know of.

He was never that overly physical. He was physical when he wants to be, but he never did this with any consistency and did not do that when it was needed to change momentum of the game. Pretty passive player that has size so people assume he is physical. Ovechkin is a physical player. Peter Forsberg was a physical player. Mark Messier was a physical player. Bobby Holik was a physical player. Jason Arnott was a physical player. Brandon Dubinsky was a physical player.

 

[Synergy27]

He was never that overly physical. He was physical when he wants to be, but he never did this with any consistency and did not do that when it was needed to change momentum of the game. Pretty passive player that has size so people assume he is physical. Ovechkin is a physical player. Peter Forsberg was a physical player. Mark Messier was a physical player. Bobby Holik was a physical player. Jason Arnott was a physical player. Brandon Dubinsky was a physical player.

Sigh.

 

[Row I Goon]

Cmon, Mika.

Prove us all wrong.

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Cmon, Mika.

Prove us all wrong.

I would absolutely love for him to shove every single negative post I’ve made about him down my throat.

I’ll just believe it when I see it, I guess.

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[yrrebbor]

Waive that NMC!

 

[JohnC]

Any way to see what his on-ice save percentage was while being matched up against the Barkov line?

 

[Ranger Wolf]

I will never forgive him for that horrible pass in OT

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Narrator - “He did not, in fact, prove them wrong.”

 

[DevilDog99]

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

Didnt age well.