Confirmed with Link: Zibanejad+2018 2nd for Brassard+2018 7th | Part II

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We Want the Cup 2010

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I like Zibanejad, and didn't want to see him moved, but if I had one major reservation of his playing style, it was his inability to form chemistry with line mates. He didn't seem to mesh well with anyone, which is more important for centres than wingers.

Is it lack of hockey IQ, being a shoot first player, or selfish mentality? I don't know, but it is/was the biggest reason I think he got moved. Hard to play with and didn't make others around him better is a tough one to quantify and relies more on the eye test. I wonder if Ranger fans will notice the same thing or if he'll improve in that regard. If he does find a winger he works well with I think he'll have a big year, although the same can be said for Brassard.
 

Sentron5000

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I like Zibanejad, and didn't want to see him moved, but if I had one major reservation of his playing style, it was his inability to form chemistry with line mates. He didn't seem to mesh well with anyone, which is more important for centres than wingers.

Is it lack of hockey IQ, being a shoot first player, or selfish mentality? I don't know, but it is/was the biggest reason I think he got moved. Hard to play with and didn't make others around him better is a tough one to quantify and relies more on the eye test. I wonder if Ranger fans will notice the same thing or if he'll improve in that regard. If he does find a winger he works well with I think he'll have a big year, although the same can be said for Brassard.

I was able to watch a game close to the glass this past year (game against Florida). When you're that close you can see where players are looking, what they're saying to each other, etc. Very interesting angle. On the power play, Zibanejad was on the boards at the half-wall. He would get the puck passed to him, not even look around or even towards the net, and pass it back. Completely useless. Maybe I caught him on a bad day, but the lack of vision was pretty obvious. Hard to see anything if you don't look around with the puck on your stick.

If it was a one time thing and not something we saw consistently over the course of the season, I wouldn't say he has low hockey IQ. But seeing plays like that just reinforced his lack of awareness.

Speaking of that game (and to re-iterate how awesome Karlsson is), Karlsson was trying to keep the puck in at the line at the opponent's bench. I believe it was on a power play. Willie Mitchell leans over and just starts screaming into his ear. I swear he was probably less than two feet from Karlsson's ear....to be honest, I have no idea if that is even legal. Karlsson was completely unfazed, and calmly went about his business. I was impressed.
 

Do Make Say Think

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Complete nitpick but something that bugged me a lot about Zibanejad is how he sometimes looks utterly flabbergasted when he scores, as if he can't believe he's a good player.
 

Neiler

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Complete nitpick but something that bugged me a lot about Zibanejad is how he sometimes looks utterly flabbergasted when he scores, as if he can't believe he's a good player.

Similar to your point I often noticed he looked miserable after a goal. Once upon a time he'd smile and looked ecstatic but after a while it almost seemed like it wasn't the same.

I really feel like the coach was too hard on them or the room sucked sometimes or something but I have nothing to back that up other than the long faces on Zibanejad, Turris and Hoffman after scoring.

On a second note, I'm still blown away by this trade. I just don't get giving up on him now but what's done is done. I fear this one is going to haunt us.
 

Icelevel

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I foresee him really getting on with zuccarello assuming they get a chance to play together.
 

MarkStone

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I feel like alot would have to go wrong with Brassard/Brown/White and we would have to see a massive improvement from Zibanejad for this trade to haunt us....but anything is possible I guess.
 

Samsquanch

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I feel like alot would have to go wrong with Brassard/Brown/White and we would have to see a massive improvement from Zibanejad for this trade to haunt us....but anything is possible I guess.

This is exactly how I see. If we make the playoffs and maybe even win a round next year, then the trade will already have been worth it for the organization.

White and Brown both have a very legit chance of being better than Zibanejad at some point in the next 3 or so years, who himself may or may not even be better than Brassard at that point in time. I have my doubts.

Even if he does hit the 60 pt plateau eventually, he's more of a passenger than a driver imo.

Given the circumstances, if you are Pierre Dorion you have to make that trade.
 

Nac Mac Feegle

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Jun 10, 2011
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Complete nitpick but something that bugged me a lot about Zibanejad is how he sometimes looks utterly flabbergasted when he scores, as if he can't believe he's a good player.

I think that's his biggest weakness, his confidence. He was rushed into the NHL which really didn't help, and so many coaching and system changes (or lack of a system), changing linemates....all that stuff adds up.

Vigneault is a good coach (however long he stays in NY), and the Rangers have the money and staff to be proactive to make things happen. If they manage to pump Zibbys tires a bit....its going to be something.
 

Cosmix

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I was shocked that Dorion traded Zibanejad. Although I felt Zibby lacked enthusiasm, play-making ability, and did not establish much chemistry with other players, I wanted to give him more time to feel comfortable and try to establish his play-making.

I have a bad feeling about this trade and think it has a better than 50 or 60% chance of not turning out the best for the Senators in the long run.

In the short run I feel that Brassard may do more this year and perhaps next year but Zibby will likely be the better player in the long run, meaning over the next 10 years. Zibby definitly has 10 years left. Brassard only 6 perhaps.
 

Six Assets

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Jun 29, 2013
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I was shocked that Dorion traded Zibanejad. Although I felt Zibby lacked enthusiasm, play-making ability, and did not establish much chemistry with other players, I wanted to give him more time to feel comfortable and try to establish his play-making.

I have a bad feeling about this trade and think it has a better than 50 or 60% chance of not turning out the best for the Senators in the long run.

In the short run I feel that Brassard may do more this year and perhaps next year but Zibby will likely be the better player in the long run, meaning over the next 10 years. Zibby definitly has 10 years left. Brassard only 6 perhaps.

In an ideal world Brown/White end up being better than both.
 

Super Cake

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I personally would have kept Zibanejad for one more year. If he again did the same thing as the last two seasons, then i would look into trading him.
 

jason2020

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I feel like alot would have to go wrong with Brassard/Brown/White and we would have to see a massive improvement from Zibanejad for this trade to haunt us....but anything is possible I guess.

Sure and it could go just as bad for New York.

I was shocked that Dorion traded Zibanejad. Although I felt Zibby lacked enthusiasm, play-making ability, and did not establish much chemistry with other players, I wanted to give him more time to feel comfortable and try to establish his play-making.

I have a bad feeling about this trade and think it has a better than 50 or 60% chance of not turning out the best for the Senators in the long run.

In the short run I feel that Brassard may do more this year and perhaps next year but Zibby will likely be the better player in the long run, meaning over the next 10 years. Zibby definitly has 10 years left. Brassard only 6 perhaps.

But will he be in New York I could see Zibby going to the Khl.
 
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Icelevel

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In an ideal world we would have traded Ryan for a LH play making center and moved Zibanejad to RW, which is probably where he belongs.

There's a possibility that brassard-Ryan are going to look dynamite though.
 

ReginKarlssonLehner

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May 3, 2010
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I personally would have kept Zibanejad for one more year. If he again did the same thing as the last two seasons, then i would look into trading him.

Exactly my thought. IMO we traded him at the worst possible time. Worsttttt case scenario is he stays the same and we make similar deal next year but without the worry of knowing Zib might break out.

Again, that's worst case scenario.

There's a possibility that brassard-Ryan are going to look dynamite though.

The problem is not the center.

The problem is Ryan. When he's on, he's excellent with anyone.

People forget that Ryan's most productive start of the season in his NHL career came on the wing with Zibanejad as his C. 50 points in 60 games +13.
 

Baby Ryan

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Exactly my thought. IMO we traded him at the worst possible time. Worsttttt case scenario is he stays the same and we make similar deal next year but without the worry of knowing Zib might break out.

Again, that's worst case scenario.



The problem is not the center.

The problem is Ryan. When he's on, he's excellent with anyone.

People forget that Ryan's most productive start of the season in his NHL career came on the wing with Zibanejad as his C. 50 points in 60 games +13.

Ryan aside, Zibanejad never seemed to truly develop chemistry with any other linemate. Even Stone seemed extremely ordinary when paired with Zibanejad.
 

trentmccleary

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The problem is not the center.

The problem is Ryan. When he's on, he's excellent with anyone.

People forget that Ryan's most productive start of the season in his NHL career came on the wing with Zibanejad as his C. 50 points in 60 games +13.

When Ryan lights up the first half of the year and Zibby lights up the 2nd half of the year... and they're on the same line. That's not chemistry.
 

topshelf15

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When Ryan lights up the first half of the year and Zibby lights up the 2nd half of the year... and they're on the same line. That's not chemistry.
Zibby had two of the better wingers in the east and barely cracked 50 points .He is miscast in the top 6 TBH .He would make a far better 3rd line center like Eller ,than be relied upon to produce offense
 

trentmccleary

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Zibby had two of the better wingers in the east and barely cracked 50 points .He is miscast in the top 6 TBH .He would make a far better 3rd line center like Eller ,than be relied upon to produce offense

There are barely enough 50 point players to fill out 30 x first lines. If a 50 point player isn't quite cutting it as a top-6 center, you move him to RW.
 

We Want the Cup 2010

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Exactly my thought. IMO we traded him at the worst possible time. Worsttttt case scenario is he stays the same and we make similar deal next year but without the worry of knowing Zib might break out.

Zibanejad's value was the possibility of him breaking out and his small cap hit. Waiting one more year would have decreased his value. Either he produces the same and loses the "he's young and is only going to get better" tag, most GM's would probably use that against Dorian. Or he improves and requires a bigger contract, which is a big negative for trade value...

If he wasn't in the long term plans, obviously he wasn't, then they moved Zibanejad at the right time in my opinion. It may backfire, but if you wait too long and he doesn't pan out, or gets too expensive then good luck getting much value back in a trade.

In an ideal world we would have traded Ryan for a LH play making center and moved Zibanejad to RW, which is probably where he belongs.

Kinda goes with what I mentioned earlier, but trading Ryan would make this team worse unfortunately. Due to his contract, Ottawa wouldn't get near the same value back and would probably have to take a bad contract back themselves. Doesn't seem fair, but is the new reality in a cap system. They could move him if they wanted I'm sure, but with no viable replacement it doesn't make sense.

Simply put, Zibanejad was the bigger trade piece. Can you imagine the anger if Ryan was moved for spare parts. That's why I like the Brassard deal, it might help Ryan out if they can develop some chemistry.
 

HSF

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In an ideal world we would have traded Ryan for a LH play making center and moved Zibanejad to RW, which is probably where he belongs.

Ryan is a much more talented player than Zibby even at similar ages.

If Zibby hasn't shown that playmaking ability thus far I don't think he ever will

I think in an ideal world we get Ryan a more developed playmaking center which is exactly what we did
 
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