Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[lakeshirts37]

I’ve been saying for two years he might have an easier time of it on right wing in his thirties.

If Chytil stays healthy and plays well, all of a sudden that becomes a more viable option. You add a 3C at the deadline and boom, we are a complete roster again.

still dont have a 1C though and we know how those teams fare in the playoffs

 

[Rempe73]

I’ve been saying for two years he might have an easier time of it on right wing in his thirties.

If Chytil stays healthy and plays well, all of a sudden that becomes a more viable option. You add a 3C at the deadline and boom, we are a complete roster again.

“Very stable genius” next to your name checks out

Great idea

 

[JohnC]

Now go look up which of the players on PP1 have set up the "Best net front guy" the most.

Because I was morbidly curious and have a bit of down time at work...

Assists on Chris Kreider PP goals since 19-20 (when Panarin and Fox joined the team):

	Primary	Secondary	Total
Fox	16​	23​	39​
Panarin	22​	24​	46​
Zib	15​	12​	27​
Strome	9​	4​	13​
Tro	3​	2​	5​

So not inconsequential, but definitely the 3rd most important piece at best to Kreider's PP success over this run.

 

[JohnC]

In fact (since I have a very low opinion of Zibanejad's playmaking abilities), I wonder how much more of a powerplay weapon Kreider would be with two legit playmakers playing the half boards (Panarin on the left, Laf on the right). Depending on how down you are on Zib, those two in those positions are arguably more dangerous goal scoring options as well now that his powerplay one timer is so ineffective.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

It feels as though they wanna prop Zib up because of his contract and keep Lafreniere's points down by keeping one on the pp and the other off. That's my opinion, doesn't make sense otherwise, it's getting more and more ridiculous. Our 2nd best forward can't get pp1 time

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

It feels as though they wanna prop Zib up because of his contract and keep Lafreniere's points down by keeping one on the pp and the other off. That's my opinion, doesn't make sense otherwise, it's getting more and more ridiculous. Our 2nd best forward can't get pp1 time

i don't think its that deep, i think the Rangers as an organization are very very resistant and slow to change, especially when it comes to vets v youngsters

 

[Siddi]

Because I was morbidly curious and have a bit of down time at work...

Assists on Chris Kreider PP goals since 19-20 (when Panarin and Fox joined the team):

	Primary	Secondary	Total
Fox	16​	23​	39​
Panarin	22​	24​	46​
Zib	15​	12​	27​
Strome	9​	4​	13​
Tro	3​	2​	5​

So not inconsequential, but definitely the 3rd most important piece at best to Kreider's PP success over this run.

Which was my point. You cant just replace him like the poster I replied to wrote.

It feels as though they wanna prop Zib up because of his contract and keep Lafreniere's points down by keeping one on the pp and the other off. That's my opinion, doesn't make sense otherwise, it's getting more and more ridiculous. Our 2nd best forward can't get pp1 time

Or maybe it is just that they dont want to break up something that is elite.

 

[JohnC]

Which was my point. You cant just replace him like the poster I replied to wrote.

Agree to disagree. I don’t know that he’s easily replaced, but I certainly don't think it should be off the table. He’s at least the 2nd most replaceable player on that unit considering his one trick (his slapshot) is ineffective now.

 

[fm]

put laf on pp1 for a few games. if for no other reason than to light a fire under mika's ass. when he's playing with passion (less and less we've seen this over the last 12-24 months), he's the greatest ranger center of my adult life. if it doesn't work, revert. if it does, then great.

 

[Kords]

Personally I think a big reason why Mika gets such a long leash is because Lavy knows he needs Mika to find his game to have success. Laf deserves it, but he doesn’t need to find his game. It sucks and at some point it becomes a sunken cost fallacy, but I get it. I just hope the leash is getting shorter after last year.

 

[TGWL]

Which was my point. You cant just replace him like the poster I replied to wrote.


Or maybe it is just that they dont want to break up something that is elite.

The poster wrote "this power play is a top 12 without him." The poster didn't say whoever you put in that spot will be as good or better. I'm confident the poser didn't actually mean Glass is better.

 

[TominNC]

Come on, you know that we aren't " actively rooting" against any players we mock. We all want Mika to succeed. Kaapo too.

I don't touch the whole Trouba thing here and on X. It's too personal. It's like Jacob grabbed their mother's boob or something.

If there truly is someone here who goes out of their way to root for a Ranger players failure, to prove that they are right on a hockey board, then that's just gross. And they need their heads checked for more serious issues.

When you read negativity on a daily basis it becomes negativity. It’s not cute or funny. Negative fans don’t get to think they aren’t negative except in their own heads.

 

[JohnC]

Personally I think a big reason why Mika gets such a long leash is because Lavy knows he needs Mika to find his game to have success. Laf deserves it, but he doesn’t need to find his game. It sucks and at some point it becomes a sunken cost fallacy, but I get it. I just hope the leash is getting shorter after last year.

And let’s be real, the optics of your $8.5M 1C for the next 7 years being a 35 point player aren’t great.

No one that paid attention last year should’ve been happy with how Zibanejad played. He reminded me of 2013 Brad Richards with how off everything about his game was. If this year’s a repeat this team is in bigger trouble than it already is moving forward.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Kreider
Panarin - Zibanejad/Trochek - Laf
Fox

The ideal alignment. He's useless from the half boards anymore. Bread and Laf can both be one-timer threats. Its so obvious it makes me sick.

If you're so worried about protecting Mika's feelings, leave him on PP1 and let him play the bumper.

Then Trochek on PP2 so that unit can actually win a faceoff for once.

 

[will1066]

Unplugged the phone charger at 93%. It's a sign.

 

[The Undertaker]

The poster wrote "this power play is a top 12 without him." The poster didn't say whoever you put in that spot will be as good or better. I'm confident the poser didn't actually mean Glass is better.

I most certainly didn't mean Glass is better. The PP is good, very good with Mika. But he is declining and puts in about half the effort from previous years. Trying something new isn't the end of the world and you can always put him right back in if it gets worse.

 

[Chytilmania]

It's time to take him off the PP. Yes they scored 3x but he was completely useless the entire time and Panarin banged one home from his spot. Put Laf in there. Zibs just floats and doesn't put himself into shooting position. He keeps trying that to go backdoor spinorama pass from Kreider that works once a year. He looks lost.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

It's time to take him off the PP. Yes they scored 3x but he was completely useless the entire time and Panarin banged one home from his spot. Put Laf in there. Zibs just floats and doesn't put himself into shooting position. He keeps trying that to go backdoor spinorama pass from Kreider that works once a year. He looks lost.

Banged one in with his shot!

Only fitting that it be 3rd goal.

 

[huerter]

Yup…these are my readers.

 

[Whoot Whoot]

I think Lav will make the right call soon, this can’t continue

 

[Cuckoo4Kakko]

Yup…these are my readers.

Mika stop. Spend less time on these boards. Spend more time practicing. I promise you are more likely to change our minds about you that way than with weird yes/no threads and messages.

 

[huerter]

I think Lav will make the right call soon, this can’t continue

What can’t continue? You think he’s getting scratched?

 

[fm]

What can’t continue? You think he’s getting scratched?

throw laffy on pp1 for a few reps. can't hurt imo

 

[DevilDog99]

I missed the game due to the hulu outage. God I hate the way this is- three games three different networks.

Was Meek Mika as crappy as he has been for the last 120+ games?

I think Lav will make the right call soon, this can’t continue

I hope so. Players being scratched as a message has been happening since sports started. At the least, he should be off the pp and play third line minutes (which already has happened). Despite what they flash on the screen 5v5 that is our third line. Minutes and production supports this.

 

[huerter]

throw laffy on pp1 for a few reps. can't hurt imo

Take out the 4 on 3 PP, the abbreviated PPs when our guys come out of the box after 4 on 4, the Kakko penalty PP at the end of last night and our PP is probably over 50% (all by the top unit).

HOW COULD IT HELP?!?!?!

Edit: not that we should change it even if we were 0 for the season. Aaron Judge batted below .200 for the first month of the season. The way proven track records get back on track is to have patience.