Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[TheDirtyH]

Brain fog and similar cognitive issues are pretty well documented effects in many cases

It’s an assumption with ample evidence. He’s been improving steadily over the course of years and just totally fell off after having a virus that is known to have lingering effects in many cases. No player ever says anything specific is an issue, sickness, family trouble, relationship issues, etc but they’re human and have problems with all of these things. It’s not stuff they talk about or point to as excuses.

TDA was the third best player at his position and he was scratched for making a hot headed mistake. Mika doesn’t need to have it beat into his head that he’s not playing well, he knows and has said as much. He needs to get out of it and imo bigish minutes with other dangerous players is the best bet for that.

We've never seen a player surging to new career heights and then having a dismal and ineffective season before COVID?

Moreover, if it's long-term COVID then why would continuing to play him help him improve? Wouldn't it be better to confer with doctors and take time away from professional sports?

I'm not saying it isn't COVID, but all we know about Mika is that he tested positive and had to miss training camp. All reports--from he and the team--state that he felt better each day as he returned to play and that there haven't been lingering effects. He's been terrible this year. It could be COVID aftereffects. It could be missing training camp. It could be another injury. It could be concussions catching up to him. It could be mercury is in retrograde. All I know is that what's happening isn't working and something's gotta give. If he's really still sick, then all the more reason to stop playing him at all, let alone as your all situations 1C.

 

[haveandare]

We've never seen a player surging to new career heights and then having a dismal and ineffective season before COVID?

Moreover, if it's long-term COVID then why would continuing to play him help him improve? Wouldn't it be better to confer with doctors and take time away from professional sports?

I'm not saying it isn't COVID, but all we know about Mika is that he tested positive and had to miss training camp. All reports--from he and the team--state that he felt better each day as he returned to play and that there haven't been lingering effects. He's been terrible this year. It could be COVID aftereffects. It could be missing training camp. It could be another injury. It could be concussions catching up to him. It could be mercury is in retrograde. All I know is that what's happening isn't working and something's gotta give. If he's really still sick, then all the more reason to stop playing him at all, let alone as your all situations 1C.

Have we seen players improve steadily year over year snd then completely fall apart with no explanation enough times that it’s a more likely scenario than him suffering long term effects from a virus that is known to cause them? I don’t think so personally.

Minutes would help him if he’s struggling with brain fog or something similar because reps and practice are how you get back into the swing of something like reading snd thinking the game at this level. There’s not a lot of substitutes for that. It’s not a shooting issue where you can shoot at an empty net to get back your mechanics or something. And the team has very good doctors, I’m sure they are conferring with them if he’s still feeling long term effects. Maybe they have a better handle on it than people throwing darts on a message board.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Have we seen players improve steadily year over year snd then completely fall apart with no explanation enough times that it’s a more likely scenario than him suffering long term effects from a virus that is known to cause them? I don’t think so personally.

Minutes would help him if he’s struggling with brain fog or something similar because reps and practice are how you get back into the swing of something like reading snd thinking the game at this level. There’s not a lot of substitutes for that. It’s not a shooting issue where you can shoot at an empty net to get back your mechanics or something. And the team has very good doctors, I’m sure they are conferring with them if he’s still feeling long term effects. Maybe they have a better handle on it than people throwing darts on a message board.

My point is that saying that Mika is dealing with brain fog due to COVID is entirely this. And anyway if it's brain fog due to COVID why would it just improve? It clearly hasn't been doing so.

And players rise and fall all the time in the NHL. I doubt this is Mika for the rest of his career, but years like this happen. Sometimes the player just can't get it back. It's been 15 games so I'm not suggesting that but having a huge letdown year after a huge career season is one of the most regular occurrences in the NHL.

 

[haveandare]

My point is that saying that Mika is dealing with brain fog due to COVID is entirely this. And anyway if it's brain fog due to COVID why would it just improve? It clearly hasn't been doing so.

And players rise and fall all the time in the NHL. I doubt this is Mika for the rest of his career, but years like this happen. Sometimes the player just can't get it back. It's been 15 games so I'm not suggesting that but having a huge letdown year after a huge career season is one of the most regular occurrences in the NHL.

I’m not saying it’s an established fact, I’m saying it’s a possible explanation that appears increasingly likely due to the circumstances. He just had covid. This is a possible effect of covid. He seems to be showing issues that this effect would cause.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think it’s very common for a player to swing this drastically year to year unless they’re getting up there in years and they hit the point where they can be keep up due to age. If any example come to mind, feel free to share.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Just because I'm in Chicago, DeBrincat comes to mind immediately. Saad. Toews. Remember Stepan in 2012-13?

 

[ArPanet]

He looks mechanically horrible on faceoffs. I wonder if he injured something when he wiped into the boards in the beginning of the season. The face he made on the bench right after had me thinking uh oh, could be concussion.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

He looks mechanically horrible on faceoffs. I wonder if he injured something when he wiped into the boards in the beginning of the season. The face he made on the bench right after had me thinking uh oh, could be concussion.

There's no way he'd be playing if he had a concussion.

 

[ArPanet]

right but what it's lower back or shoulder related ? just speculating

 

[MysticLeviathan]

Guy can’t catch a break... but his sticks sure can. I think he broke like 5 sticks this game.

 

[TheDirtyH]

It's a sound explanation for Zibanejad (COVID that is), but then, Kreider has fallen to depths just as low in his play and there's no positive test we know about. Panarin (a God among hockey men) is good for a ppg no matter what, but he's hardly been the same player as last year. Strome has been trashy too. And even Buchnevich for all his improvement (which in my eyes is just playing the same as always except adding PKing to his minutes) is just as ineffective on the PP as ever and is also struggling to make a dent at 5v5.

I'd be more on board with the COVID explanation if all our other vets weren't flopping to some extent as well--especially Kredier who looks as dumpy as Zibanejad.

I think this really is just a combination of a year away from hockey, a missed training camp, an epic slump, and a general loss of confidence/chemistry on the pp (no more DeAngelo who is miles better than Fox on the PP at this point, sorry I said what I said).

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I dont think it's completely irrational to suggest his struggles might be due to lingering effects of COVID.

I don't think you can use is as an straight up "excuse" unless he is forced to sit or decides/admits it has been an ongoing issue, but it's possible he could be trying to play through it or maybe even he can't really recognize that there are still lingering effects of the disease.

Something just isn't "right" with him. Let's not forget that this novel virus is very mysterious and we are just beginning to learn about its long term effects. More importantly we also shouldn't forget that Mika has had a history of concussions. Some studies have suggested that it takes years for the brain to heal from even a moderate concussion. COVID may have set him back in that regard or his concussion history could adversely affect his COVID recovery.

Obvious speculation, but a rational one.

 

[cmdevisser]

I dont think it's completely irrational to suggest his struggles might be due to lingering effects of COVID.

I don't think you can use is as an straight up "excuse" unless he is forced to sit or decides/admits it has been an ongoing issue, but it's possible he could be trying to play through it or maybe even he can't really recognize that there are still lingering effects of the disease.

Something just isn't "right" with him. Let's not forget that this novel virus is very mysterious and we are just beginning to learn about its long term effects. More importantly we also shouldn't forget that Mika has had a history of concussions. Some studies have suggested that it takes years for the brain to heal from even a moderate concussion. COVID may have set him back in that regard or his concussion history could adversely affect his COVID recovery.

Obvious speculation, but a rational one.

I tend to agree with this. Every person has a different experience with COVID, and I've noticed a lot of athletes in different sports struggle with their performances after getting the virus this year.

 

[OverTheCap]

Maybe Covid is part of the reason why Mika is struggling, but let's not forget he was playing like this during the bubble against the Canes, well before he had Covid.

I think some of it could be mental. He had a breakout 40 goal season last year and he could be crumbling under the weight of expectations to replicate it. Certainly wouldn't be the first time a Ranger followed up a great season with a bad one (and definitely won't be the last).

 

[duhmetreE]

maybe someone with some actual photoshop skills can make something better

 

[Leonardo87]

Covid knocks the crap out of some people. Takes months to recover for some people. That OT shift he had, he was uncoordinated, not in sync, and looked lost. Could be fatigue? Something is wrong, and think people need to give him a mulligan on this season. You don’t have back to back 74/75 point seasons and all of a sudden are totally lost like that.

This season has been a nightmare anyway and don’t see it getting better. If it continues down this road, going to chalk it off, and focus on Oct, when hopefully can attend a game again. Going to cut Mika some slack here.

 

[Anthony5967]

Top 10 Mika Zibanejad Plays from 2019-20 | NHL - YouTube

He's nothing close to this. He's clearly suffering from the effects of COVID. It's not even close. Kreider's struggles are pure laziness. Let's be honest here.

 

[Larrybiv]

Maybe Covid is part of the reason why Mika is struggling, but let's not forget he was playing like this during the bubble against the Canes, well before he had Covid.

I think some of it could be mental. He had a breakout 40 goal season last year and he could be crumbling under the weight of expectations to replicate it. Certainly wouldn't be the first time a Ranger followed up a great season with a bad one (and definitely won't be the last).

Just dont think its any form of crumbling. I dont believe ANYONE expected him to pot 25-30 based on 56 schedule, but man, my main man has GOT TO pick it up. I have confidence he will, something will go right and he will get hot. He and "fixing the PP" are synonymous. 41 games left, plenty of time for him to at least get 20, and that would go a long long way.

 

[Circus86]

Seriously starting to get annoyed with Mika. How many breakaways, pp time and prime spots to score has he had this season. It's like he forgot how to shoot the puck.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

We finally have a top end 1C and then the next season he regresses to a 3C. Only the Rongos

 

[NYR94]

Covid knocks the crap out of some people. Takes months to recover for some people. That OT shift he had, he was uncoordinated, not in sync, and looked lost. Could be fatigue? Something is wrong, and think people need to give him a mulligan on this season. You don’t have back to back 74/75 point seasons and all of a sudden are totally lost like that.

This season has been a nightmare anyway and don’t see it getting better. If it continues down this road, going to chalk it off, and focus on Oct, when hopefully can attend a game again. Going to cut Mika some slack here.

Yeah I heard an athlete in another sport I believe say it took him months to feel better after COVID. Not weeks, but months. Also people are reporting that it even affects their thinking. Mika looks to be a step or two behind in terms of processing the game mentally. It's like he's in a fog every game, and we all know what a fast paced game NHL hockey is.

 

[NYRangers0723]

We finally have a top end 1C and then the next season he regresses to a 3C. Only the

right now he is playing worse than an average 3C. I gave him a break because if Covid but the Rangers have had a lot of data off so he should be fresher. He had no confidence right now. Hopefully Chytil is ready and Mika can take a few games off to get his head together or rest

 

[FireGerardGallant]

We need to figure something out longterm at C if this is who Mika is now.

 

[NYRangers0723]

We need to figure something out longterm at C if this is who Mika is now

.

I don’t want to go that far. I don’t think he instantaneously became a bad player. But something is up with him. Whether it’s still Covid or an injury. I also think it’s lack of confidence you can see it

 

[Leonardo87]

Yeah I heard an athlete in another sport I believe say it took him months to feel better after COVID. Not weeks, but months. Also people are reporting that it even affects their thinking. Mika looks to be a step or two behind in terms of processing the game mentally. It's like he's in a fog every game, and we all know what a fast paced game NHL hockey is.

My dad got covid back in Dec was in the hospital for a week was on supplemental O2 , he gets winded still. Is still not 100 percent. Sure My dad is much older and is not a professional Hockey player, but he walks his dog for 15 Mins and is tired. I heard it takes months for people to recover.

People need to give Mika a break.

 

[NYRangers0723]

My dad got covid back in Dec was in the hospital for a week was on supplemental O2 , he gets winded still. Is still not 100 percent. Sure My dad is much older and is not a professional Hockey player, but he walks his dog for 15 Mins and is tired. I heard it takes months for people to recover.

People need to give Mika a break

.

I’ve given him a break. Honestly we don’t know if it is even affecting him. But the point is he is still a non factor right now. When Chytil comes back I think it’s a good idea for him to sit a few games and get his head clear or if he needs rest