Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad: Part II

[Captain Lindy]

I dont think many people had Zibanejad pinned as a 70+ point 1C at the time. The trade seemed to be considered a win at the time based on age, but not many thought it was going to be as lopsided as it is today.

I LOVED Brasssard but I did understand why they did the trade back then, so I wasn't really upset about it. I didn't know anything about him except what you guys on this board said, that he had tremendous potential. He's certainly living up to it. One of the best trades in our history.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Oh the upside was definitely there. 51 points as a 21- 22 year old the season before he was traded. He came here and started pretty hot, but then he had that (essentially) season ending injury. Didnt look the same after. Probably came back a little too soon, because he didnt look 100% the season after either. I think those events led to him being a bit underrated and you know how it is around here with the "what have you shown me lately" attitude that this website has.

Yes, hence the running gag about Zibanejad being a "20 ft. player".

 

[Mamas Mustard]

Yes, hence the running gag about Zibanejad being a "20 ft. player".

Ive been trying to figure out how that came about..thats the best explanation I can think of.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Ive been trying to figure out how that came about..thats the best explanation I can think of.

A particular poster here lays claim to that hot take.

 

[Mamas Mustard]

A particular poster here lays claim to that hot take.

Its funny because he IS a 200 ft player so I'm trying to figure out which 20 feet theyre even joking about.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Zibanejad is as good or better then the guy taken right after him in his draft, Mark Schifele, who was also sort of a late bloomer. With Panarin on his wing, his numbers are going up big time this year.

Ironically, the guy taken after Schiefele, Coutourier, was also a late bloomer. Always a solid defensive center but didn’t break out offensively until 2018

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Zibanejad is as good or better then the guy taken right after him in his draft, Mark Schifele, who was also sort of a late bloomer. With Panarin on his wing, his numbers are going up big time this year.

Ironically, the guy taken after Schiefele, Coutourier, was also a late bloomer. Always a solid defensive center but didn’t break out offensively until 2018

Why is that ironic?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Why is that ironic?

Maybe ironic was the wrong word. More so ‘strange’ that 3 consecutive high picks like that all took some time to reach their true potentials.

 

[Raspewtin]

@MahomesIsGod I deserve that like you just gave me

Let it be known that, for the 4,063rd time, I was wrong about Zibanejad. Extremely wrong

 

[Rongomania]

Really poorly written sentence there in that tweet.

Oh yeah. Golden reporting & statement.

 

[Rongomania]

Its funny because he IS a 200 ft player so I'm trying to figure out which 20 feet theyre even joking about.

When he came here, some people on here claimed he could never possibly reach this potential most of us knew he had in him (and now, then some). Some thought he'd be in perpetual 'what could have been 50ish point player' territory forever.

He's all about crushing that 200

 

[The Crypto Guy]

So ridiculous he doesn't have the C.

Stop worrying about Kreider's feelings and give him the C already.

 

[Leetch3]

the C is more important to fans than players...he doesn't need the C to be the leader

 

[The Crypto Guy]

the C is more important to fans than players...he doesn't need the C to be the leader

No but it shows a hell of a lot of confidence to a player from management when they give it to them.

 

[Leetch3]

No but it shows a hell of a lot of confidence to a player from management when they give it to them.

the last few guys that were given the C it ended up being a 4 ton piano on their backs and they were never the same players again...mika is still young and just not emerging as a top line center. he doesn't need extra pressure

 

[The Crypto Guy]

the last few guys that were given the C it ended up being a 4 ton piano on their backs and they were never the same players again...mika is still young and just not emerging as a top line center. he doesn't need extra pressure

You just said it's not that important to the players?

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

You just said it's not that important to the players?

Surely isn't terribly important to the players as far as who has the ability to speak up and rally teammates in game/in the locker room. I don't think any of them look at Lundqvist and say "Well he doesn't have a letter, I'm not going to listen to him." The confidence or expectation that the FO has in a player to perform/the perception that the captain is supposed to lead by example can weigh on the individual.

 

[duhmetreE]

I'll bring it up.... Looking ahead...

There's a slight chance Zibs wont be a part of the long-term future, as crazy as it sounds. Will Gorton commit to a long-term deal when he's 29? 7-8 years? $80-100M? If he's true to his past, he wont. Does 'contending' change things? Being a 1C?

Bittersweet ending.. He's the piece that brings McDavid to the Garden.

ok, send me your hate and/or your snarky comments.

 

[Svenhart2008]

I'll bring it up.... Looking ahead...

There's a slight chance Zibs wont be a part of the long-term future, as crazy as it sounds. Will Gorton commit to a long-term deal when he's 29? 7-8 years? $80-100M? If he's true to his past, he wont. Does 'contending' change things? Being a 1C?

Bittersweet ending.. He's the piece that brings McDavid to the Garden.

ok, send me your hate and/or your snarky comments.

The thought that the Rangers won't commit to Mika until age 36 is not "out there" at all.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I'll bring it up.... Looking ahead...

There's a slight chance Zibs wont be a part of the long-term future, as crazy as it sounds. Will Gorton commit to a long-term deal when he's 29? 7-8 years? $80-100M? If he's true to his past, he wont. Does 'contending' change things? Being a 1C?

Bittersweet ending.. He's the piece that brings McDavid to the Garden.

ok, send me your hate and/or your snarky comments.

I don't necessarily disagree. Gorton seems to prefer to pay for future than pay for what someone has done. I'd be all for a 2-3 year extension on top of what he has.
I think alot of it will depend on what we get from this draft, how chytil and andersson seem to shake out in the next few years.

 

[Leetch3]

I'll bring it up.... Looking ahead...

There's a slight chance Zibs wont be a part of the long-term future, as crazy as it sounds. Will Gorton commit to a long-term deal when he's 29? 7-8 years? $80-100M? If he's true to his past, he wont. Does 'contending' change things? Being a 1C?

Bittersweet ending.. He's the piece that brings McDavid to the Garden.

ok, send me your hate and/or your snarky comments.

I don't think Gorton's history tells us that at all. he during a rebuild hasn't committed to aging good players but the only elite player he's gotten his hands on is panarin and commit to him till 34 with no problem...so if we are talking about mika being an elite #1 than history tells us gorton will take care of him

 

[NYR]

Oh, and "20 ft. player"...

Har ha har.. Well, you really showed me.

This dopey response is what...9 years (and 2 games into a brand new season) in the making now?

You're the very reason why dumb shit gets beaten to death with no just cause around here.
Enough already ffs.

Fact is.. At the time when I posted that, he earned every bit of criticism I gave him and I stand by it.

That said.. He's looking really good now and obviously turned a corner so hopefully he keeps it up and sets the example moving fwd.

I'm certainly not rooting against him..

 

[MrZ123]

Not to sidetrack, but I was just reading an article about the captaincy and it was all about Zibanejad.

While he, as of 2 games, is our star player, does that really make for a Captain?

In my opinion, and career in athletics, the captain should really be the leader of the team. This has little to nothing to do with goals or assists or points.

All too often in pro sports, the "best" player on a team is given the C, but is that player the actual leader?

I know it's not the best example, but look at Mike Eruzione or Russel Crowe in Mystery Alaska.

These guys were the hearts of the team, butfl far from the superstars.

As fans, we really have zero idea who the leader is off and on the ice.

 

[egelband]

I'll bring it up.... Looking ahead...

There's a slight chance Zibs wont be a part of the long-term future, as crazy as it sounds. Will Gorton commit to a long-term deal when he's 29? 7-8 years? $80-100M? If he's true to his past, he wont. Does 'contending' change things? Being a 1C?

Bittersweet ending.. He's the piece that brings McDavid to the Garden.

ok, send me your hate and/or your snarky comments.

Do we know when the next CBA kicks in? And is it expected that there will be further limits on contracts agreed? I wonder if they stick with 7 and 8 year maximum deals. For example.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Do we know when the next CBA kicks in? And is it expected that there will be further limits on contracts agreed? I wonder if they stick with 7 and 8 year maximum deals. For example.

The current CBA expires in 2022.

Regarding maximum deals, I would love to see the NHL limit the term for UFAs to emphasize building through the draft a bit more which benefits small market teams. Something like this:

- RFA/under contract: 7 year max
- UFA: 5 year max