Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[cwede]

obviously i am an outlier, i find this Mika mudslinging to over-the-top
hasn't had the best start,
but probably the best all-round C NYR have had this century,
and after you push him out, it could be 10-15 years to acquire another

 

[eco's bones]

obviously i am an outlier, i find this Mika mudslinging to over-the-top
hasn't had the best start,
but probably the best all-round C NYR have had this century,
and after you push him out, it could be 10-15 years to acquire another

There's the old adage that good defending leads to offense. Not saying Mika can't or won't get his game back together but he's been making way too many soft plays with the puck. That first goal last night ain't the first time something like that has happened this year. It's an unforced error of pretty much what should have been a simple play. After that we were chasing the game the rest of the night....and he had more goof ups before it was over. You make a mistake you bear down. He's been a good enough player where we should expect him not to continue to make more mistakes in the same game.

Right now in any case Chytil looks like he could move up to the 2C. He's looking somewhat how Mika was looking 4/5 years ago. Coming back hard on the back check---supporting the D pretty much as any of our other forwards. Brining the puck up the ice with speed. He's playing smart and playing with a lot of energy.

 

[LionsHeart]

obviously i am an outlier, i find this Mika mudslinging to over-the-top
hasn't had the best start,
but probably the best all-round C NYR have had this century,
and after you push him out, it could be 10-15 years to acquire another

I love Mika and usually a defender too, but hes been awful.

 

[Harbour Dog]

obviously i am an outlier, i find this Mika mudslinging to over-the-top
hasn't had the best start,
but probably the best all-round C NYR have had this century,
and after you push him out, it could be 10-15 years to acquire another

We couldn't push him out if we wanted to, is the thing. Full NMC, buyout-proof contract.

His current play warrants a demotion, and only Mika himself is able to play his way into that demotion being temporary. If he can't drive a line to out-perform Cuylle-Chytil-Kakko, and if he can't be an integral part of PP1, then it's time to move over and accept a different role.

We should have given Laf a proper look with Panarin a couple years before we did. Laf's response to his limited ice time then was always, "I want to do whatever is asked of me for the team to win." Time for Mika to say the same.

 

[Lion Hound]

Feel like he needs time away from the rink. Send him on like a hardcore guys weekend with elite team of badassery. Don Frye, Sean Avery, Bill Burr, Mark Messier, and Joe Rogan.

Make him eat Bison.
Shave his head.
Drink some Whiskey.
Drive some Quads
Chop some wood.
Maybe throw some axes.


Get his mind right.

 

[BleedBlueNYR]

It's crazy to think a few years ago a few of us (me included) had those playoff push avatars with Mika on it. I couldn't imagine him getting that kind of love the last couple of seasons.

 

[dshea19]

It was painful watching those costly turnovers. The night was typified when he got hit in the face with a deflection at the end of the game. This has not been his season at all. Last year was significant drop off from the year before. His shooting percentage dropped below his average and this year is half his career average. He missed a wide open net on a shot that he would have lasered in the past. His defense, starting last year, is worse than previous years. I have no idea what the solution is, but they are stuck with him. It isn't an issue with ability, but he definitely seems to lack tenacity. You see guys like Chytil, Torcheck, and Panarin hunt pucks down. Mika peeled away from board battles multiple times last night. It is almost as if his heart isn't in it any longer but he isn't going to walk away from the money. There are a few guys on the team that just don't seem to have the heart for the grind. Barring a sudden change in play, this team is at best a second round team merely because their goalies will drag them through the season and a round of the playoffs.

 

[JohnC]

obviously i am an outlier, i find this Mika mudslinging to over-the-top
hasn't had the best start,
but probably the best all-round C NYR have had this century,
and after you push him out, it could be 10-15 years to acquire another

I'd have to ask how many games you've actively tuned into then? Because this has been going on for nearly a calendar year. His point totals are not even remotely indicative of how he's performing on the ice.

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

Nothing here is happening in a vacuum. If we see it, certainly the Ranger coaching, training, and medical staff see it also. The Rangers have world-class trainers and medical staff. If there were something seriously wrong medically, the Rangers would know. Emotional and psychological issues are trickier but in a team situation, where players are together as much as teams are, that too would be difficult to hide. I don't know what is going on....none of us do. I refuse to believe it is a lack of effort. As for this happening suddenly, well, it began last year, early last year. So it has been an ongoing but worsening crisis. It might be aging, though it happened quicker than with most. It might be something else. None of us know. With all our scientific knowledge, there is simply no way to gauge how players will age, But again...if we are discussing it, certainly Ranger coaching, training, and medical staff are too. As for the team as a whole, I've reached the point where I have lowered my expectations of what I expect to happen this year. MZ is part of it. Whatever the cause, one way or another, we will eventually find out.

Maybe, maybe not. Crosby had his misdiagnosis fiasco however many years ago. Hank's heart issue went undetected in NY. Surely there's more and those 2 examples off the top of my head weren't the first or last, both including elite players. Whether Mika's issues are medical/neurological is another discussion, but the team has to be well aware of the decline in Mika's play. We may think the FO is dumb, but I'd have a hard time believing they're actually true blue stupid.

 

[will1066]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856757105643958307

 

[Shesterkybomb]

What's the most troubling is what was going on with him at the faceoff circle? Is he like having a meltdown or something, doesn't seem like anything physical.

 

[DanielBrassard]

He’s been bad for quite some time now, and it seems like it’s more physical deterioration than anything else. Calling it recent is truly minimizing his decline over the past few years, and he was never a dominant force to begin with.

 

[Guyute]

What's the most troubling is what was going on with him at the faceoff circle? Is he like having a meltdown or something, doesn't seem like anything physical.

Yeah, that situation was really strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

 

[TGWL]

I would take both MZ and CK off the penalty kill. Their minutes need to be reduced so as to maximize their effectiveness during 5X5 play. Not that this is a solution to whatever ails MZ, but if he only has a limited amount of energy to expend, it should be on the PP and 5X5.

Yes, the team might take a short-term hit as both are still good on the PK, but others can be trained to do so. Cuyle is already getting PK time. I would love to see Laf get some PK time, not only because I think he would be good at it but to increase his minutes.

I don't really think being gassed from the PK minutes is the issue. 1 powerplay goal was scored yesterday and neither Zibanejad or Kreider were on the rink. The penalty kill has been an early success. The issue is their 5 on 5 play and its not because they're playing too many minutes. They can't play 5 on 5 before the penalty minutes even start to add up. The issue isn't reducing them from the PK. If you want to limit their minutes, limit their 5 on 5 minutes because they aren't generating anything.

 

[frozenrubber]

Yeah, that situation was really strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

Did anyone report either during/after the game what transpired? How it was broadcast, I had assumed Mika vomited.

 

[will1066]

I think it's age-related decline. His hands aren't able to keep up with his mind and what he wants to do. Hence the constant whiffs.

 

[LOFIN]

I think it's age-related decline. His hands aren't able to keep up with his mind and what he wants to do. Hence the constant whiffs.

Bullshit. He's 31, not 38.

 

[JimmyG89]

I love Mika and usually a defender too, but hes been awful.

Mika was one of my favorite players coming onto the team. The 2006-2016 Rangers never had that PP threat to rip one timer and score. He was the first one to do that in a long time.

I was at his 5 goal game pre-COVID and it's a game I'll never forget. He had speed and size, but finesse and playmaker abilities. On top of that, he overcame the outside pressures and became a top 10 C in the league and the best bargain deal.

I'd love to see 75% of that player. It's just disappeared. Everything is predictable to the opponent. He has flashes of his speed, but where is it? He's not using his size either, especially in the offensive zone.

 

[will1066]

Bullshit. He's 31, not 38.

Seeing Vince's quote, he could use a sports psychiatrist after all. Didn't think it was a real trope.

 

[Guyute]

Honestly, I think Mika needs to start DJing MORE.

All of his bangers came out in 2018-2020 when he was playing great hockey. He’s gotta get that swagger back.

 

[eco's bones]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856757105643958307

Well he's acknowledging he's playing like shit. That's something. Everyone's psychology is different though. We're a lot better team when he's playing well. Playing the way he is though I think it's time to move him out of the top 6 at least for the time being and maybe if he played a little angrier. Filip looks like he can handle extra ice time IMO anyway.

 

[leetch99]

I need the address to MSG...I'm going to send him a bucket of high quality PEI Potatoes and some good barley.....the poor man looks like he is all bound up out there . He needs a good cleansing .

 

[zlev]

What's the most troubling is what was going on with him at the faceoff circle? Is he like having a meltdown or something, doesn't seem like anything physical.

yeah. that was really strange. Miller came up to him and stopped him from taking the faceoff. wtf was going on here?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856504464896581634

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

yeah. that was really strange. Miller came up to him and stopped him from taking the faceoff. wtf was going on here?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856504464896581634

Yup also odd that it was Miller who spoke to him first given his mental health break last season. Kindred spirit kind of thing for what KAM went through last year?

 

[Speedtrials]

I am rooting for Mika and hope this is more mental than physical. While I'm not sure he can get back to a top 10 center, I think a 20-25 goal 60 point player is realistic. With our window that should give us enough depth at center to compete for another few seasons.

I will say this though, last night was as bad as a performance from one of our star forwards, since Alexei Kovalev's awful second stint with us.