In a season filled with disappointment for the New York Rangers, one of the bright spots has been Mika Zibanejad‘s play. After two-straight seasons in which his play looked to be on the decline, he has shown this season that he still has plenty of game left in him. He has been the team’s best forward all season long, and now, the narrative around him has changed. He has gone from a player that fans wanted gone to a player that the Rangers should keep around to be a veteran leader during this retool.
Two-Straight Seasons of Offensive Decline
Coming into this season, many were not expecting much from Zibanejad, as for the past two years, his game looked to be on the decline. After scoring 39 goals and recording 91 points during the 2022-23 season, he followed it up with just 26 goals and 72 points in the 2023-24 season. Last season was a horrible one in general for the team, but for Zibanejad, it was one of his worst offensive seasons as a Ranger as scored only 20 goals and recorded just 62 points in 82 games played.
After the disaster that was last season, many fans thought that Zibanejad was in decline. At the time, he still had five years left on his contract and nobody thought any other team would want to take a chance on him. He also has a full No-Movement Clause in his contract, which means he would need to sign off on any potential trade. Zibanejad was back with the Rangers this season, and expectations were low given what he showed the past two seasons.
A Bounce-Back Season No One Was Expecting
While the entire team has been a major letdown this season, Zibanejad has been the one player who, throughout it all, has played a consistent game; really, he’s been their best forward by far. He has already surpassed his goal and point totals from last season, with 27 goals and 67 points in 70 games. He has found his confidence once again and is a threat to score every time he is on the ice. Even when Artemi Panarin was still on the team, Zibanejad was the true offensive threat, and it has been great to see him find his game again.
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Zibanejad just played in his 1000th-career NHL game and was able to do it at Madison Square Garden against the team that drafted him, the Ottawa Senators. While the Rangers lost the game, it was amazing to watch the pre-game ceremony and see just how many great memories and moments he has had during his time in New York. It was great for the fans to show him how much they appreciate him and what he has done for the team over the years, and this season. Despite all the negativity that has surrounded the team this season, Zibanejad’s bounce-back season has been a major bright spot.
The Rangers Should Keep Him Going Forward
As the Rangers continue their retool, they are going to need veteran leaders to help the younger players learn how to play in the NHL. With Zibanejad’s great play and his desire to see this retool through, he should be kept around going forward. He has already developed some great chemistry on his line with Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault, and that line could be the top line going forward. The players in the locker room seem to love him and look up to him, and that is something this team is going to need in the seasons ahead.
Zibanejad has really been through it all during his time with the Rangers. He’s been through a rebuild before, been to the Conference Finals twice, and helped the team win the Presidents’ Trophy. His experience of both the highs and lows could be crucial in helping the younger players, and even some of his other teammates, navigate this retooling process. While it might be a while before the Rangers are a competitive team again, having a player like Zibanejad around can only be a positive thing.
Nobody was expecting this kind of season from Zibanejad when it began and thought he would continue to decline sharply. However, he has been able to silence the doubters and has really flipped the narrative surrounding him in a good way. He has gone from a player fans wanted gone to a player fans want to stay around as the team continues to retool and rebuild.
