Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[Raspewtin]

absolutely f***ing useless at ES and gets worse at the PP every year.

he borders on negative value with his dreadful, impossible to move contract.

 

[3rd Guy High]

just goal after goal after goal of him getting into the inner slot and ripping sick shots. what the hell happened?

He’s slower, doesn’t go to the middle of the ice anymore.

 

[will1066]

Zibanejad scores! --Sean McDonough, 2023

 

[zlev]

it's wild how badly he sucked this year. he had 12 even strength goals playing 81 games with first line minutes

guess who else had 12 even strength goals? everyones favorite disappointment Kaapo Kakko. in only 61 games, on the 3rd line!

 

[GoAwayGiannone]

it's wild how badly he sucked this year. he had 12 even strength goals playing 81 games with first line minutes

guess who else had 12 even strength goals? everyones favorite disappointment Kaapo Kakko. in only 61 games, on the 3rd line!

Dude, cut the hubris, it’s just sports.

 

[zlev]

Dude, cut the hubris, it’s just sports.

what?

 

[Baby Punisher]

We owe this guy over $50 million dollars over the next 6 years. This is a disaster. Sometimes you gotta know when to let a guy walk and they should have let him walk

 

[Atax]

what?

Its a quote from the wonder twin.

 

[DevilDog99]

Since he is not going anywhere for another 6 years lets hope that this was an off season for him and that he will be back to his 40 goal and 90 points self next season.

I mean there is nothing else we can do.

I know what I will do. I will boo him and spit on him in the streets.

 

[Siddi]

I know what I will do. I will boo him and spit on him in the streets.

You should work on that bud. I imagine it can't be fun going through life with that much hate.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

just goal after goal after goal of him getting into the inner slot and ripping sick shots. what the hell happened?

He was legitimately awesome that season.

He just plays like a wimp now.

it's wild how badly he sucked this year. he had 12 even strength goals playing 81 games with first line minutes

guess who else had 12 even strength goals? everyones favorite disappointment Kaapo Kakko. in only 61 games, on the 3rd line!

He was kind of a PP whore last year but at least he put up 91 points.

He was pure garbage this season.

 

[RangersFan1994]

just goal after goal after goal of him getting into the inner slot and ripping sick shots. what the hell happened?

Soft passive and lazy. It happens with players that don’t care.

 

[Blasds]

His recent games I would describe as disgraceful, poor, detrimental, crap, talentless, and revolting.

 

[Oak]

And yet, it is a thing in professional sports.

100% it is a thing. Many NHL guys struggle the season after having a baby, especially their first.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Zib was money all playoffs, had one bad ECF and suddenly we've all memed ourselves into becoming the "no dropping sweet hot tracks, work on your game, kid" guy.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Zib was money all playoffs, had one bad ECF and suddenly we've all memed ourselves into becoming the "no dropping sweet hot tracks, work on your game, kid" guy.

he trailed off hard after the first two games or so of the canes sefies

 

[Profet]

just goal after goal after goal of him getting into the inner slot and ripping sick shots. what the hell happened?

We traded Buchnevich.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

just goal after goal after goal of him getting into the inner slot and ripping sick shots. what the hell happened?

When Zibanejad was cookin he was bent over in his skating stride at almost 90 degrees.

He is much more upright now. I dont know if thats due to age, injury or confidence, but that is something I noticed that has changed

 

[NickyFotiu]

Trade him anywhere

Im okay trading Mika but are we just giving up seasons in Igors prime or you have a replacement in mind?

 

[Profet]

Im okay trading Mika but are we just giving up seasons in Igors prime or you have a replacement in mind?

You only trade Mika in a hockey trade. Not a prospect trade.

 

[B17 Apricots]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800590040780657054

Not to dunk on this dude but that's one thing I appreciate about this place, little bit more level headed. I know people are bummed about how the season ended and Mika's off-year... but these takes are crazy. Really... Bo Horvat is a better player? The guy who has one 70 point season? Duchene had 6 points in 19 playoff games this post-season... that's a guy you'd rather have? Come on...

Guess what... since becoming a top line center in the 2018-2019 season, depending on what position you'd categorize Stamkos as, Zibanejad is tied with Aho for tenth in points for centers. Add in the fact that he's a great defensive forward and PKs as well. Plus, statistically the difference between the surrounding players and Mika/Aho is the matter of a few points... so really once you get past the few elite of the elite... McDavid, Draisaitl, MacKinnon, Crosby... its almost a toss up after that. One guy has an up year, one guy has a down year. It happens

The grass isn't always greener. Imagine if Stepan or Brassard had to match up against Barkov? Zibanejad definitely had a disappointing season but he's still one of the elite centers in the game today. People forget what a "low end" 1C or a 2C actually look like

 

[McRanger92]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800590040780657054

Not to dunk on this dude but that's one thing I appreciate about this place, little bit more level headed. I know people are bummed about how the season ended and Mika's off-year... but these takes are crazy. Really... Bo Horvat is a better player? The guy who has one 70 point season? Duchene had 6 points in 19 playoff games this post-season... that's a guy you'd rather have? Come on...

Guess what... since becoming a top line center in the 2018-2019 season, depending on what position you'd categorize Stamkos as, Zibanejad is tied with Aho for tenth in points for centers. Add in the fact that he's a great defensive forward and PKs as well. Plus, statistically the difference between the surrounding players and Mika/Aho is the matter of a few points... so really once you get past the few elite of the elite... McDavid, Draisaitl, MacKinnon, Crosby... its almost a toss up after that. One guy has an up year, one guy has a down year. It happens

The grass isn't always greener. Imagine if Stepan or Brassard had to match up against Barkov? Zibanejad definitely had a disappointing season but he's still one of the elite centers in the game today. People forget what a "low end" 1C or a 2C actually look like

Zibanejad had a down year. He need's to and will bounce back. Not having a gaping hole on his ight wing for the 4th year in a row might be helpful.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Zibanejad had a down year. He need's to and will bounce back. Not having a gaping hole on his ight wing for the 4th year in a row might be helpful.

The guy can’t produce at ES. No matter who you put there unless you are finding a star player to do all the heavy lifting for him.

I have almost zero faith he will have a bounce back year. It’s far more likely he is declining from his peak.

 

[McRanger92]

The guy can’t produce at ES. No matter who you put there unless you are finding a star player to do all the heavy lifting for him.

I have almost zero faith he will have a bounce back year. It’s far more likely he is declining from his peak.

He has tracked for ~40 ES points over the last 5 years before this. Down to 25 this year. Im willing to give an all-time Ranger the benefit the doubt in a year that we A. won the President's Trophy. B. Had a top 5 PK/PP unit (which Mika factors greatly on) C. No 3C for the majority of the year, and his best RW was Jack Roslovic.

I'm disappointed in him but my biggest gripe over the last couple years would be that he needs to raise his game the later we go into the playoffs. That largely hasnt happened. But Mika is a winning player and much harder to replace than anyone wants to acknowledge.

 

[Crease]

Zibanejad is a fine 1C if you have other guys at the top of the lineup who play with bite. The Rangers do not. So the question becomes can you add someone like that, or do you have to replace him with someone like that. That’s more of a logistical question than a philosophical one.