Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[KirkAlbuquerque]

It’s not like he’s the first player to ever have a family lol.

I think it’s more to do with him signing that retirement contract.

and the absolute lack of accountability placed on him and the team by Laviolette.

He has no reason to change his approach until there are consequences , I.e. losing his precious PP spot or god forbid being split up from his bestie

 

[EdJovanovski]

I hate to judge players based on anything other than on ice results, but even in his home opener hype video, this guy came across as distracted and lacking passion. He’s an extremely physically talented human, talented enough to be a really good NHL player while coasting, but he does not seem to have a burning desire in his belly to win and dominate.

For as much shit as he gets, at least Trouba has that fire. Who thinks Mika would survive a Mike Keenan style house cleaning?

On a podcast before Mika said that hockey isn’t even his favorite sport and that he’d rather be a soccer player. That was the moment I would’ve traded him

 

[NYRFAN218]

Maybe he's just pulling a Pete Alonso and doing nothing all year only to come up big in the playoffs. I'd sign up for that.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

This guy is crashing down from his peak at an alarming rate. From 92 points to 73 points last year, wouldn't be surprised if he's in the low 60s this year. It's f***ing scary we have another 5 full years after this season of him.

 

[zlev]

Maybe he's just pulling a Pete Alonso and doing nothing all year only to come up big in the playoffs. I'd sign up for that.

we all thought that last year and then he sucked in the playoffs and created a game losing turnover in the ECF with a stupid lazy play

 

[Brutananadilewski]

Maybe he's just pulling a Pete Alonso and doing nothing all year only to come up big in the playoffs. I'd sign up for that.

I said it last year: we'd sooner see a leprechaun engaging in a sexual act with a unicorn under a rainbow in a pot of gold.

He only had somewhat respectable numbers last postseason because Kreider did most of the legwork.

 

[NickyFotiu]

May not be family or contract. Zibs will be 32 this season. Not unusual for players to have peaked before 30.

 

[zlev]

the guy needs to start shooting the puck again. he never ever takes a shot on net at 5on5. his whole turnaround in the 2022 playoffs started with him just shooting the puck. he scored some big goals and then he was probably our best player the rest of the run. last night early in OT he had a chance to just blast a slapshot on net but instead made a crappy pass to Kreider and turned the puck over.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

the guy needs to start shooting the puck again. he never ever takes a shot on net at 5on5. his whole turnaround in the 2022 playoffs starting with him just shooting the puck. he scored some big goals and then he was probably our best player the rest of the run. last night early in OT he had a chance to just blast a slapshot on net but instead made a crappy pass to Kreider and turned the puck over.

He could be 1on1 with the goalie from the red line in and he’d try to pass it.

He needs to see a hypnotist or something

 

[Peltz]

Maybe he's just pulling a Pete Alonso and doing nothing all year only to come up big in the playoffs. I'd sign up for that.

He was good in the playoffs in 2022, but bad in both 2023 and 2024.

Remember the shortened season (2020-2021)? He had covid early on and could. not. score. It was such a stark drop-off it was actually weird.

I wonder what's going on in this dude's head sometimes when he disappears offensively.

 

[will1066]

I hope people on this board stop making excuses for Mika. Last year the excuse was he just needed some time to get going and that he just had a child. He played like dog shit all season. I dont want to hear about his production on the PP. I think any forward would score 50+ points on a PP with Fox, Kreider, and Panarin. He was on the ice for 24 minutes and coasted the entire time.

There was a play where Trocheck? won a draw in the offensive zone. The play was for Mika to let it rip. Instead he coasted around and tried to make a cute little pass and turned it over.

The dude is cooked. He needs to be demoted. I dont want to hear that it's only game 2.

But the reality is that it is game 2. Lavi is not going to upend the room after 2 games and cause a public controversy in the process. It might take 10 games. Hopefully it's Kreider who has a talk with him, snaps him into form.

 

[gump116]

They need to commit and go one of two ways with Zibanejad: either try to get him back to a number 1 center offensively or turn him into the number 3 defensive minded shutdown C. He’s failed the last couple years trying to do both and at his age it’s unlikely to bounce fully back.

For the former, put him with Laf to see what happens. There’s been no chemistry between him and Panarin and Laf is our next best forward offensively. If it doesn’t work he’s probably done as a top line center and then move him to the third line with Kakko and/or Cullye

 

[B17 Apricots]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1845285193180983613

Zibanejad has consistently been about a ~40 point guy at 5v5 since breaking out. That's a very good number to hover around. Aside from franchise level players that's around the range the high end players slot in. Last year the poor bastard had 25 points at 5v5. For perspective thats Wennberg level bad. Role players and 3rd liners slot in at that range. That's how bad he's been. His overall numbers were completely propped up by an incredible powerplay unit. Even in 18-19 when he broke out and "only" had 74 points, he still put up 39 at 5v5. His 5v5 play has fallen off a cliff

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

All of sports is a gamble. You can’t predict how a guy will age. Sometimes they become elite like Igor and sometimes their best years are behind them like Zib.

There were random people on Twitter citing analytics saying that Buch was carrying Mika all those years and that he was the guy to keep over him given his age, point rate, playdriving. It’s not a gamble if your GM is good

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

They need to commit and go one of two ways with Zibanejad: either try to get him back to a number 1 center offensively or turn him into the number 3 defensive minded shutdown C. He’s failed the last couple years trying to do both and at his age it’s unlikely to bounce fully back.

For the former, put him with Laf to see what happens. There’s been no chemistry w ith Panarin and Laf is our next best forward offensively. If it doesn’t work he’s probably done as a top line center and then move him to the third line with Kakko and/or Cullye

The absolute last thing they should do is start mixing things up to try to “get him going”. They should be doing that with Chytil who is actually good and deserving of a way bigger role 5v5

 

[alkurtz]

I don't believe there is any reason to question his effort or conditioning. That would be totally out of character from all we have seen over the years.

But, in my long time as a hockey fan, I have seen cases of players aging quickly. It is not the norm: most experience a gradual loss of skill. Zib might be one of those guys who has simply lost it fast.

In his defense (and I find it hard to defend his on-ice performance over these two games), he has always been a slow starter, even in his most productive years.

Once a season starts, I have little interest in how much players are making. All that matters is performance. If Zib can no longer perform as a top 1 center (or the way our lines are structured, 1A) we have a major problem.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I think the music at MSG is really not helping DJ Mika. He rather be a DJ than a hockey player. He rather make music than play hockey. Maybe the music at MSG inspires Mika to make music instead of playing hockey

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

 

[Row I Goon]

Had the most amazing dream last night. Mika called Drury yelling…

 

[Mike in Houston]

But the reality is that it is game 2. Lavi is not going to upend the room after 2 games and cause a public controversy in the process. It might take 10 games. Hopefully it's Kreider who has a talk with him, snaps him into form.

Time to throw another iPad.

 

[leetch99]

I think it is time for Mika to sit down and have a Big Mac as his pre game meal . Man cannot function like a bull on grass alone , currently he plays like a steer or 10 yr old Holstein .....get him MEAT !

 

[TGWL]

I've been hearing about how good this guy is defensively for years. It's absolute nonsense.
I hope management learns a lesson and doesn't sign a player to a long term deal based off of one season.
Yes, I will admit that I don't like the player, so I am biased. He's good for a few stretches each season where he will produce points. Otherwise, he's useless.

It was Sam and Joe force feeding fans to believe it. His defense has always been iffy. Having a long reach with an extended stick length doesn't quite equal elite defense. He also leaves his man a lot and follows the player with the puck.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Mika clearly views himself as a shutdown center. Unfortunately, he's also a student of Rangers hockey, meaning that shutdown centers are modelled after studs like Barclay Goodrow, Nick Bonino, late-career Derek Stepan, and Kevin Rooney.

I believe he's a victim of his own success in this regard. The worse he plays, the more he's affirmed organizationally as a two way success. And as long as he keeps getting his special teams points, declining offense isn't really a legitimate criticism when viewed from inside the organization.

@Ola said for years that he saw Mika long term as a winger, and I'm coming to agree with him more and more. The rangers should stop looking for a 1RW and start looking for a 3C, since they're stuck with him long term no matter what.

 

[68Forever]

as one of the bigger Mika apologists as a new father myself, he has lost all will to MAKE AN IMPACT IN GAME. He doesn't need to be a 100 point scorer or a 40 goal player but he needs to WANT TO MAKE AN IMPACT. He is playing like a man scared to make a mistake and is always making the obvious play. Truthfully don't know what will shake him up besides being sat for 3 games so he can see how VINNY and FIL just absolutely press the puck up the ice and try and make the defense REACT TO THEM. MIKA HASNT DONE THAT IN 1.5 YEARS AND ITS SAD...... LGR but Mika is not it anymore.

 

[RangersFan]

Do you guys remember Brad Richards noticeable drop off in foot speed and impact in his second season here? Mika is at the same age, 31-32. A lot of athletes drop off around this age as well, it's not unusual. His highs were high here, hence the fan reaction. Might have to accept the type of player he is. Lavi might have to as well, not our 1C.