Mika Zibanejad

[blue425]

when the real problem is that the Rangers lack depth at forward and their Dmen struggle to get the puck out of the zone.

It's the 2015 Tampa series all over again. Forecheck the shit out of the D and watch them fumble.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Whether it's Trocheck or Zibanejad, these are not legit #1 C's who coaches game plan around imo. Not just that, their top six is full of soft guys who feast on the PP but have issues with tough forechecking teams like Florida. They desperately need a Hyman type guy in the top six. They remind me of the Leafs in ways. Except they have a way better goalie and #1 D.

Sans Fox, I'm not seeing very good top four D. Too many guys are playing more minutes than they should be.

The scores of these games aren't reflective of how dominant Florida has been. The better team is Florida. And the better team is winning this series.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

Whether it's Trocheck or Zibanejad, these are not legit #1 C's who coaches game plan around imo. Not just that, their top six is full of soft guys who feast on the PP but have issues with tough forechecking teams like Florida. They desperately need a Hyman type guy in the top six. They remind me of the Leafs in ways. Except they have a way better goalie and #1 D.

Sans Fox, I'm not seeing very good top four D. Too many guys are playing more minutes than they should be.

The scores of these games aren't reflective of how dominant Florida has been. The better team is Florida. And the better team is winning this series.

To be fair, Fox is obviously pretty banged up.

 

[Hockeyholic]

To be fair, Fox is obviously pretty banged up.

I give him a pass.

But the other guys on D aren't good enough where they are slotted.

And even if Fox was 100%, I don't think it changes this series. Florida is just the better team.

 

[matsqq]

I mean, if you didn't see Barkov eating Zibs lunch in this series coming I wonder what the hell you've been watching the last 2-3 years.

Probably doesn't help that Panarin has dropped off the face of the Earth.

Last night Ziba was +1 and Barkov -2 .
In the carolina series he scored a lot.

Recency bias ...

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Whether it's Trocheck or Zibanejad, these are not legit #1 C's who coaches game plan around imo. Not just that, their top six is full of soft guys who feast on the PP but have issues with tough forechecking teams like Florida. They desperately need a Hyman type guy in the top six. They remind me of the Leafs in ways. Except they have a way better goalie and #1 D.

Sans Fox, I'm not seeing very good top four D. Too many guys are playing more minutes than they should be.

The scores of these games aren't reflective of how dominant Florida has been. The better team is Florida. And the better team is winning this series.

Chris Kreider is their Hyman. It’s funny because the two players actually play an incredibly similar game.

Kreider just happens to be stapled to Mika Zibanejad while Hyman plays with the best player in the world.

Last night Ziba was +1 and Barkov -2 .
In the carolina series he scored a lot.

Recency bias ...

Mika had 0 goals in the Carolina series after game 1.

He’s on the longest playoff goalless drought of his career. The 2nd longest was a drought that spanned from the 2022 ECF to the 2023 First Round. The Rangers lost both of those series.

 

[matsqq]

Chris Kreider is their Hyman. It’s funny because the two players actually play an incredibly similar game.

Kreider just happens to be stapled to Mika Zibanejad while Hyman plays with the best player in the world.


Mika had 0 goals in the Carolina series after game 1.

He’s on the longest playoff goalless draught of his career. The 2nd longest was a draight that spanned from the 2022 ECF to the 2023 First Round. The Rangers lost both of those series.

It's not uncommon that players scoring goes up and down during playoffs. Looking at the playoff stats I fail to see the problem.

They are facing a top 4 team with many good defenders.
Why single him out?

 

[blue425]

Sans Fox, I'm not seeing very good top four D. Too many guys are playing more minutes than they should be.

You aren't wrong at all. When your best d man is (making an estimate here) at 50% and he is still your best guy at breaking out it's telling.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

What happened to Mika? Didn’t follow the Rangers too closely in the regular season, he looks like a complete shell of his former self.

He’s made a ton of bonehead decisions with the puck this series. Rangers will need this guy to step up if they want to beat the Panthers. He’s ppg so far but -1. Am I out to lunch here, or has he been a disappointment for the Rangers so far? (This playoffs)

Hes a 2C being paid and treated as a 1C.

Hes too soft, only thing he has is his one time on the PP

 

[irishlaxburger2]

It's not uncommon that players scoring goes up and down during playoffs. Looking at the playoff stats I fail to see the problem.

Why single him out?

Because it's not just scoring. He gets caved 5v5 on top of it. He's at 24% at xGF at 5v5 in the Eastern Conference Finals so far. Please find a team who won the Stanley Cup with a 1C that performed this poorly in the ECF. And it happens with him consistently.

On the point of him being the 1C or 2C, he's paid like the 1C. If he's the 2C at this point, it's only because he has sucked so bad this season that expectations have dropped so much that he's now considered the 2C. That's unacceptable for your highest paid center. You can't build a roster that's Stanley Cup worthy if your highest paid center plays this poorly. If you assume he's not the 1C, that's not a valid defense of him. It's a reflection of how poorly he has played. He *should* be the 1C based on his contract.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Zibanejad and Kreider get matched up against the #1 and #4 Selke vote getters all series long.

People: "What is the deal with Zibanejad and Kreider not scoring 3 pts per game??"

I don't know, it's a real mystery.

 

[matsqq]

Because it's not just scoring. He gets caved 5v5 on top of it. He's at 24% at xGF at 5v5 in the Eastern Conference Finals so far. Please find a team who won the Stanley Cup with a 1C that performed this poorly in the ECF. And it happens with him consistently.

On the point of him being the 1C or 2C, he's paid like the 1C. If he's the 2C at this point, it's only because he has sucked so bad this season that expectations have dropped so much that he's now considered the 2C. That's unacceptable for your highest paid center. You can't build a roster that's Stanley Cup worthy if your highest paid center plays this poorly. If you assume he's not the 1C, that's not a valid defense of him. It's a reflection of how poorly he has played. He *should* be the 1C based on his contract.

EC final is an extremely small sample ...

 

[KingDeathMetal]

The takes on Zibanejad in this thread are WILD, man.

Please name me the list of Centers in the NHL who have averaged more pts per game than Zibanejad the last 3-5 seasons, who've gotten more Selke votes, and have better 5v5 pts per 60. Name me the list of Center who have more pts per game in the playoffs the last three seasons as well.

It's a short list.

Mika is in the upper half of top centers in the NHL. He's averaged more pts per game these playoffs than he did during the regular season.

He's having a bad series. His matchup is Sasha Barkov. Mika is an excellent player, and a true top center. He is not Sasha Barkov.

Also, I don't know if you guys are aware, but this Barkov guy, I heard he's pretty good defensively too. That's what the streets say, anyhow.

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Let's keep blaming it on small samples and tough matchups.

Guess what, the final 4 of the playoffs will inevitably be small samples against great matchups. Great players win in those situations. Non-great players don't. Mika Zibanejad has done absolutely nothing to prove he isn't the latter. Is there a single team in this final 4 who is worried about a matchup against Mika Zibanejad?

 

[TGWL]

Zibanejad and Kreider get matched up against the #1 and #4 Selke vote getters all series long.

People: "What is the deal with Zibanejad and Kreider not scoring 3 pts per game??"

I don't know, it's a real mystery.

The excuses need to stop. Zibanejad fumbles plays with nobody on him. He makes bad decisions with the puck while having space. I don't care if you had the top 3 Selke finalist on 1 line matching against him, he's been bad. As a NYR fan, I want more. I want a lot more from him. Whatever summer DJ party you have can be postponed. We're not asking for 3 pts per game. We asking to look like a top 6 player. To make hockey plays. Not to dominate.

 

[matsqq]

Just saw Pettersson getting trashed too for being a playoff ghost. Turned out he had a bad knee.

But everyone is entitled to their opinion. Many it seems are based on 4 consecutive games by hfboard experts.

 

[Fatass]

Zib is looking old. Could be he’s playing with injury though. Several of the top Rangers are looking old though. It’s not just him.

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Just saw Pettersson getting trashed too for being a playoff ghost. Turned out he had a bad knee.

But everyone is entitled to their opinion. Many it seems are based on 4 consecutive games by hfboard experts.

It's. Not. 4. Games.

It's 3 straight playoffs.

 

[Shocker]

Last night Ziba was +1 and Barkov -2 .
In the carolina series he scored a lot.

Recency bias ...

Well, pack it up boys, Ziba>Barkov, the case is solved.

He won the prestigious "Higher +/- Statline in a Lost Game 5 Against the Panthers in the 2024 Playoffs"- Award

 

[KingDeathMetal]

The excuses need to stop. Zibanejad fumbles plays with nobody on him. He makes bad decisions with the puck while having space. I don't care if you had the top 3 Selke finalist on 1 line matching against him, he's been bad. As a NYR fan, I want more. I want a lot more from him. Whatever summer DJ party you have can be postponed. We're not asking for 3 pts per game. We asking to look like a top 6 player. To make hockey plays. Not to dominate.

You can't just disregard that one of the great all-time defensive Centers is his matchup. There's a reason Mika was excellent for two rounds and suddenly became invisible this series. A lot of it is the matchup.

He DID have two assists last night, and 6 shots on goal the night before. I think he's looked much better the past two games than he did the previous 3.

 

[matsqq]

Well, pack it up boys, Ziba>Barkov, the case is solved.

He won the prestigious "Higher +/- Statline in a Lost Game 5 Against the Panthers in the 2024 Playoffs"- Award

That's your interpretation

I meant that with small samples you can prove anything

Players might be injured etc .

Some teams have 2 stars better than Ziba but never come so far

It's the team...

 

[JKG33]

Should've made the Kakko+ offer for Eichel when he was being shopped and then flip Zibanejad right after so you wouldn't have to deal with his contract + antics in the playoffs which he showed as a Ranger before that year + recoup the pieces lost in an Eichel trade

I remember all that Eichel talk with the Rags and Kings supposedly being front runners. With how things turned out, I'd hope both teams are kicking themselves for not pulling the trigger

 

[irishlaxburger2]

I remember all that Eichel talk with the Rags and Kings supposedly being front runners. With how things turned out, I'd hope both teams are kicking themselves for not pulling the trigger

From everything we've heard, Pegula was never going to sign on a trading Eichel to the Rangers.

 

[Sdevils42]

You can't just disregard that one of the great all-time defensive Centers is his matchup. There's a reason Mika was excellent for two rounds and suddenly became invisible this series. A lot of it is the matchup.

He DID have two assists last night, and 6 shots on goal the night before. I think he's looked much better the past two games than he did the previous 3.

Nico shut him down this year and Barkov this year, 2 premier 2-way Cs in the league. Having said that he's gotta elevate his game. If he's not getting PP points he's almost invisible. Tbf he adds some defensively but they need him to drive play, imo that line is devoid of a play driver at 5v5. Just again demonstrating he's not a true 1C on a Cup team.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

I give him a pass.

But the other guys on D aren't good enough where they are slotted.

And even if Fox was 100%, I don't think it changes this series. Florida is just the better team.

Fox at 100% would absolutely tilt this series. He hasn't been 100% since midway through the Washington series.