Speculation: Roster Building Thread : Part XV (Light em up!)

[Levitate]

Zibs got paid. Got married. Has a family.

He’s not a sold out hockey player. It’s a job. He has guaranteed money and full control on where he plays. It is what it is.

Nothing is changing this season. If he puts in some extra work during the offseason, we may get a glimpse of old workhorse Zibs.

I mean, it must suck to go to work every day and f*** up over and over again in front of your coworkers and 10s of thousands of people watching you and booing you and have the whole point of your job just getting further and further away from you...

 

[NickyFotiu]

He has not been the same since multiple issues with COVID. Whatever you feel about COVID, in his case it's a thing.

That is possible but has Zibs or the media blamed Covid?

 

[Machinehead]

Go watch the player he was prior to COVID, and understand he had multiple issues with long covid. It wasn't a one time thing for him. There is a big different between watching and reading his stat line. His stats were pumped by standing on the left dot and hammering one timers in those post 2021 years. Prior to that he was skating and creating at 5v5 when he was a force in games. This is the issue with reading stat lines. He has been absolute shit prior to this year and the hard drop off of play started 2-3 years ago regardless what the stats say

Yeah he dropped off after COVID. And then dropped off again in summer 2023, and then again in summer 2024.

COVID was an issue but there were red flags in his game. Both of those things are true.

"There is a big different between watching and reading his stat line."

"This is the issue with reading stat lines."

I've watched almost every game the guy has played as a Ranger. Shut the f*** up.

 

[Levitate]

22 was not all roses. Media like Vince keep saying it's from too heavy 5v5 matchups that he always looks tired, people make the jokes about being vegan. Dude has lost so much mass and has no stamina at all. I can't lay this out much more. Illnesses are not always linear...

I guess I'd say I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case in the end, I know someone who has long covid and it's just been an up and down slog for them for years.
but like, I dunno, can we not just keep throwing him out there on the ice as a prayer that maybe it'll magically click again?

 

[will1066]

22 was not all roses. Media like Vince keep saying it's from too heavy 5v5 matchups that he always looks tired, people make the jokes about being vegan. Dude has lost so much mass and has no stamina at all. I can't lay this out much more. Illnesses are not always linear...

Dude i believe you about the mass thing. He's rail thin. He's like Bambi on ice with his weak center of gravity. I'm the Sally to your Linus sitting in the pumpkin patch waiting for it to come when the rest of HFNYR and their beagle and bird are having their house party. But he stopped taking care of his body, and it's not long COVID. If it were long COVID, he couldn't even answer media questions coherently.

 

[duhmetreE]

Go watch the player he was prior to COVID, and understand he had multiple issues with long covid. It wasn't a one time thing for him. There is a big different between watching and reading his stat line. His stats were pumped by standing on the left dot and hammering one timers in those post 2021 years. Prior to that he was skating and creating at 5v5 when he was a force in games. This is the issue with reading stat lines. He has been absolute shit prior to this year and the hard drop off of play started 2-3 years ago regardless what the stats say

he is complacent. did covid hinder him? possibly, sure.. That was 4 years ago.

He's a United States Postal worker. It doesn't matter how he plays... he's getting paid and not getting fired.

I mean, it must suck to go to work every day and f*** up over and over again in front of your coworkers and 10s of thousands of people watching you and booing you and have the whole point of your job just getting further and further away from you...

this is the first season where it's been really bad and evident to all.

hopefully he's embarrassed and puts in the work. Last season everyone in the org was singing his praises on how amazing he was.

 

[Levitate]

Bottom line is that the why doesn't matter at this point. You can't win hockey games, you can't win the cup, with a player playing like Zibanejad is and getting the kind of responsibilities he is.

The team needs a solution one way or the other

 

[Filip Chytil]

Chytil is still young and he could be something if he simply played more.

He's around .5 PPG mostly at even strength, with about 14-15 mins per game.

He plays the right way with skill and a good frame, and yet they've never given him a legit top six look, like, ever.

Why they no play me?

 

[duhmetreE]

Why they no play me?

we have to make sure Zibs gets on the ice for 6 on 5.

draft position.

 

[Levitate]

have to cut Chytils icetime to protect his noggin

e: it's like a pitch count...

 

[will1066]

Why they no play me?

The constant Brett howden is da best irritates everyone in the room

 

[bleedblue94]

With all the NMCs there is a limited pool of players that they can move. Just numbers

Players will waive their clause if they hate their day to day life.

People quite jobs that pay more money for lesser paying jobs that allow them to enjoy life more.

Waiving a clause usually isn't about money but the premise is the same, sometimes you're will to sacrifice something for better peace of mind and mental health.

Peeps made fun of him for the apparent panic attack, but...

 

[Filip Chytil]

The constant Brett howden is da best irritates everyone in the room

The truth sometimes hurts!

 

[bleedblue94]

Dude i believe you about the mass thing. He's rail thin. He's like Bambi on ice with his weak center of gravity. I'm the Sally to your Linus sitting in the pumpkin patch waiting for it to come when the rest of HFNYR and their beagle and bird are having their house party. But he stopped taking care of his body, and it's not long COVID. If it were long COVID, he couldn't even answer media questions coherently.

Long COVID has different effects for different people. It's not even made up, there were media reports published about long term complications or issues with it. I remember seeing a couple public reports and couldn't believe it was put out publicly.

Different affects for different people.

 

[NYR Viper]

Count me in the group that would trade Chytil if the return was a necessary piece. Something like Chytil for a good young d-man? Absolutely. I don’t see him as a long term piece. It wasn’t long ago that we all thought he was done for his career…

 

[Machinehead]

Count me in the group that would trade Chytil if the return was a necessary piece. Something like Chytil for a good young d-man? Absolutely. I don’t see him as a long term piece. It wasn’t long ago that we all thought he was done for his career…

The trouble with that is that center is a necessary piece.

 

[duhmetreE]

The thing with KAM…. I want to see him without Housley and our current Chinese fire drill coverage. Please just put him back with Fox

Still think he’s a top4LHD for the next decade+. Hasn’t peaked yet and has a lot of potential

Our left side is so bad. Unless it’s a player like MacTavish coming our way, I hold on to KAM

 

[NYR Viper]

The trouble with that is that center is a necessary piece.

Both are. I’d take my chances elsewhere on centers if there was a value for value trade offered is what I’m saying.

 

[duhmetreE]

Long COVID has different effects for different people. It's not even made up, there were media reports published about long term complications or issues with it. I remember seeing a couple public reports and couldn't believe it was put out publicly.

Different affects for different people.

If he’s ill then why is he playing? Take time off to get healthy

 

[NYR Viper]

The thing with KAM…. I want to see him without Housley and our current Chinese fire drill coverage. Please just put him back with Fox

Still think he’s a top4LHD for the next decade+. Hasn’t peaked yet and has a lot of potential

Our left side is so bad. Unless it’s a player like MacTavish coming our way, I hold on to KAM

Miller is in the same boat as Chytil for me. If there’s a value for value offer on the table I seriously consider it.

Chytil + Miller for Cozens + Byram

Something like that

 

[will1066]

The thing with KAM…. I want to see him without Housley and our current Chinese fire drill coverage. Please just put him back with Fox

Still think he’s a top4LHD for the next decade+. Hasn’t peaked yet and has a lot of potential

Our left side is so bad. Unless it’s a player like MacTavish coming our way, I hold on to KAM

I truly think that the problem is the prioritization on moving the puck on transition when they should collect the puck. Trying to get the puck to a breaking forward going the other way. There's so much broom sweeping going on with this team when there's a loose puck in the slot.

 

[mrhockey193195]

If he’s ill then why is he playing? Take time off to get healthy

I can't speak for Zib, but for a lot of people, Long Covid is just a new reality of life. There is no indication that you will get any better. Fatigue, brain fog, loss of memory, etc. Annectdotally, I know a number of people personally who have these symptoms and have not gotten any better with rest or medication. In some cases, it gets better for a bit, and then you have another relapse - rinse & repeat. And in all those cases, those people just try to keep going and do the best they can...

 

[ThePeoplesPeople]

 

[CLW]

What's all this talk about trading Chytil? Is there a GM out there who would stake his job on Fil's noggin? Chytil may be a throw in but he won't be a major piece in a trade. If he's healthy enough to have trade value he's better kept by the Rangers. If he''s not healthy he has no trade value.

 

[DanielBrassard]

No shot lmao