Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[Zynbanejad]

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.

Agreed. Feel like we gotta offer Othmann+++ to get Tkachuk

 

[EdJovanovski]

Agreed. Feel like we gotta offer Othmann+++ to get Tkachuk

Othmann wouldn’t even be the 2nd biggest piece going back in that trade lol

 

[NickyFotiu]

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.

That is my concern. Was this year a fluke or is it the start of a decline?

 

[Mac n Gs]

That is my concern. Was this year a fluke or is it the start of a decline?

Could be a mix of both, but I'd lean closer towards a fluke since it was his worst 5v5 shooting% year ever and he had a major drop in getting secondary assists. His powerplay rates were down too.

I won't comment too much on how much of a bounce back I think he'll have, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's perceived as having a more complete year next season with similar scoring numbers simply because he doesn't have that massive stretch of not scoring.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Could be a mix of both, but I'd lean closer towards a fluke since it was his worst 5v5 shooting% year ever and he had a major drop in getting secondary assists. His powerplay rates were down too.

I won't comment too much on how much of a bounce back I think he'll have, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's perceived as having a more complete year next season with similar scoring numbers simply because he doesn't have that massive stretch of not scoring.

I think it is a mix of both also. I say that for a few reasons.

1. Age catches up to us all.

2. I think his shot from the slot is good but I do not think his shot is great and I feel he has been inching closer and closer to the net to make up for it.

3. While I do see some declines in some areas I felt like he missed some breakaways and close in shots that he normally will score on.

With all that said Drury has to be thinking about Mika and Bread in terms of are these guys that can fight through physical playoff defenses.

 

[DevilDog99]

That is my concern. Was this year a fluke or is it the start of a decline?

Agreed. And regular season won’t fool me. Like Panarin, I don’t care if he breaks Gretz’ record of 215 in the regular season if he comes into the playoffs and goes scoreless in 11 while being outchanced 160-30 by BOTH of Floridas lines.

to quote the great Emily Kaplan, I understand Barkov is good. But you can’t win when EVERYONES FIRST LINE CENTER OUTPLAYS YOU.

He just was a pp/pk specialist this year. And not even great at that. Standing on the PP IN ONE SPOT AND BLASTING SHOTS WAY WIDE AND OUT OF THE ZONE 10 times a game.

Agreed. And regular season won’t fool me. Like Panarin, I don’t care if he breaks Gretz’ record of 215 in the regular season if he comes into the playoffs and goes scoreless in 11 while being outchanced 160-30 by BOTH of Floridas lines.

to quote the great Emily Kaplan, I understand Barkov is good. But you can’t win when EVERYONES FIRST LINE CENTER OUTPLAYS YOU.

He just was a pp/pk specialist this year. And not even great at that. Standing on the PP IN ONE SPOT AND BLASTING SHOTS WAY WIDE AND OUT OF THE ZONE 10 times a game.

To add: I don’t think he physically has declined that badly- all mental/heart with that guy. And that includes not going to the gym even once in the offseason to get in shape.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Agreed. And regular season won’t fool me. Like Panarin, I don’t care if he breaks Gretz’ record of 215 in the regular season if he comes into the playoffs and goes scoreless in 11 while being outchanced 160-30 by BOTH of Floridas lines.

to quote the great Emily Kaplan, I understand Barkov is good. But you can’t win when EVERYONES FIRST LINE CENTER OUTPLAYS YOU.

He just was a pp/pk specialist this year. And not even great at that. Standing on the PP IN ONE SPOT AND BLASTING SHOTS WAY WIDE AND OUT OF THE ZONE 10 times a game.


To add: I don’t think he physically has declined that badly- all mental/heart with that guy. And that includes not going to the gym even once in the offseason to get in shape.

Agreed. He can still skate, he’s got size, he just has no desire to go anywhere near the center of the ice or to the net.

The memes of him being a wuss aren’t memes, he plays some cowardly hockey. He at least tries defensively but in the offensive zone, forget about it. If the easy play isn’t there he might as well hand the puck to the opposition and start back checking.

 

[Janvonpobben]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

 

[will1066]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

I think that is naturally the thought until you also consider Jake Leschyshyn, who breeds a special contempt from the fanbase.

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

Not even close. He was pretty beloved when he was worth more than his contract...

 

[CasusBelli]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

Tony D has to be up there …

Not that he’s relevant anymore.

 

[LokiDog]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

Not even close. Shit, even now Trouba might be a contender and in the past 20 years alone there have been PLENTY of Rangers who brought more ire than Mika. Mika is GOOD. He’s just not good enough to be our best center AND he’s kind of a marshmallow, so the hair and DJing and shit doesn’t buy him any good will because we all know he can do better if he actually is willing to use his 6’3 body and/or actually train in the summer. He isn’t remotely close to being the most hated Ranger, even if his own tenure here, let alone historically. What a silly take.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Tony D has to be up there …

Not that he’s relevant anymore.

Some of y'all are too young to remember Igor Ulanov, Valery Kamensky, Tom Poti, Stephan Quintal for example.

Barry Beck took a lot of crap his last few years when he had shoulder issues after the Pat Flatley hit, and Willie Huber ("RIP") took a lot of crap because he was a big dude who wasn't overly physical.

 

[romba]

Some of y'all are too young to remember Igor Ulanov, Valery Kamensky, Tom Poti, Stephan Quintal for example.

Barry Beck took a lot of crap his last few years when he had shoulder issues after the Pat Flatley hit, and Willie Huber ("RIP") took a lot of crap because he was a big dude who wasn't overly physical.

Who can forget Poke Check Poti???

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Who can forget Poke Check Poti???

Nerd

 

[will1066]

Phone battery at 93%.

All Star season incoming

 

[CasusBelli]

Some of y'all are too young to remember Igor Ulanov, Valery Kamensky, Tom Poti, Stephan Quintal for example.

Barry Beck took a lot of crap his last few years when he had shoulder issues after the Pat Flatley hit, and Willie Huber ("RIP") took a lot of crap because he was a big dude who wasn't overly physical.

I saw Ulanov in Florida after the Bure trade, having lived in Florida at the time; didn’t rub me one way or the other. Didn’t know the others too well as Rangers.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

I saw Ulanov in Florida after the Bure trade, having lived in Florida at the time; didn’t rub me one way or the other. Didn’t know the others too well as Rangers.

He was terrible as a Ranger. Then again, the Rangers had very poor coaching, structure, and accountability in those days. It was a free for all and the inmates ran the asylum. Joke about the recent teams, in those years it was 100x worse.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

I nominate gauthier

 

[haohmaru]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

Brashear?

 

[NYRFAN218]

I laugh sometimes at the disconnect between people on this forum/social media and the fan base overall/crowd at MSG because I open up this thread and see a debate about whether he’s the most hated Ranger in history but come opening night he’ll get one of the biggest cheers when introduced.

 

[Profet]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I laugh sometimes at the disconnect between people on this forum/social media and the fan base overall/crowd at MSG because I open up this thread and see a debate about whether he’s the most hated Ranger in history but come opening night he’ll get one of the biggest cheers when introduced.

Casuals smh

 

[Guyute]

Is Zibanejad the most hated players in Rangers history?

Not even in the top 3 on the current roster

 

[mas0764]

I like where the tide seems to be going with Zibanejad on this board. He’s more of a negative to our Cup hopes at the current moment due to his declining play and salary and so it would very likely be a good thing if he’s moved and we should be exploring it. At the same time, to act like he shouldn’t be appreciated is wrong.

I liked the player for a long time and wish I could have liked him more but at the end of the day the goal isn’t scoring 40 goals, 75 points or to win a playoff round or two. Those kind of achievements are only notable for the Rangers because they have 1 Cup since the Great Depression, and have essentially never had an elite center except end-of-his-prime Messier.

Zibanejad is the epitome of the Dark Knight line: Die a hero or live long enough to become the villain. He’s the latter.

Mika was an excellent acquisition. I re-do the Brassard for Mika trade ten times out of ten. I want players like Mika on my team. I want to flip aging second liners for up and coming first liners every single time.

And he was a very, very, very good player. He could score goals. He ended up being a pretty good defender. He became a reliable 70 point player. There is nothing wrong with him at all.

Except for one thing: he was the best the Rangers had, and the teams that win Cups have Sidney Crosbys, Nathan MacKinnons, Patrick Kanes, Alex Ovechkins.

He was a very good player, but he was on a team that needed a Hall of Famer to get over the hump, like almost all Cup winners do have 1-2 of at forward. And he just isn’t that. Though you could argue he’s about 5-10 playoff goals from the Rangers having two Cup wins the last three years, that’s how close it is, and he’d be a Hall of Famer.

So you can’t blame Mika… but his $8m contract extension does keep you from getting the players you need.

And so I’m forced to wish he wasn’t here.