Player Discussion Mika Zibanejad

[ecemleafs]

I really don't see a problem with it since it clearly didn't impact his offense and despite having no 4th line, he still only played 21:38 per game so its not leading to overuse....totally agree that hopefully as the bottom 6 improves he won't have to do it as much. but mika isn't elite cause he scored alot, he is elite cause he can play in all situations so I love what he is doing on the defensive side of the puck

ive said it before, but take away his SH TOI and give him for 5 on 5 time and were better and we protect our star player by not having him get into shooting lanes.

 

[Leetch3]

 

[Edge]

Mika is an elite 1C... the rest of the league hasn’t caught on yet. Another year and they’ll begrudgingly agree. Two years from now they’ll be some revisionist history going on and the same posters who were claiming he wasn’t top 20, was a fluke, etc. will be claiming it was obvious Mika was elite in 2019. Don’t believe me? Bookmark some choice posts. We acquired Mika at the perfect moment and for some reason - personal maturation, combined with a change of scenery, etc. - Zibanejad grew into his absolute full potential in NY. This will go down as one of the best acquisitions in the team’s history.

The challenge Zibanejad has is that he doesn't pass the quick stats glance for people who casually follow the Rangers.

If he plays all 82 games this season, and maintains his scoring pace, he posts 59 goals and 108 points. Then people would stop, take a closer look, and then learn even more abouut him beyond the numbers.

But whether people want to admit it or not, they tend to scroll through stat sheets and scoring leaders, and so to lazy eyes he only looks like a 57 point player. You'd think that sounds overly simplistic, but I've seen it for years in the industry.

But a healthy Mika is the real deal. I think most GMs and players know that. Commentators, obeservers, fans, and reporters? Probably more of a mixed bag.

 

[Sockosensei]

But whether people want to admit it or not, they tend to scroll through stat sheets and scoring leaders, and so to lazy eyes [Zibanejad] only looks like a 57 point player. You'd think that sounds overly simplistic, but I've seen it for years in the industry.

I think there's truth to this.

If they're looking at enough stats, though, they should notice this one

League leader in
Goals Per Game
Mika Zibanejad NYR (0.72)

 

[McSauer]

He...looked like shit for most of that game yesterday.

2 points, great. Doesn't change the fact that he was useless most of this game and didn't bring one ounce of intensity or the great skating ability we saw all year.

He was in great company yesterday, as Panarin, CK, Strome and more were all invisible. All of them should take a look in the mirror before game 2, or else we'll be out of the bubble by Wednesday morning...

 

[Mikos87]

If I can choose between a 120 point player who only brings offense or a 80 point player who also plays defense, I will pick the latter every time.

I have nothing against Draisaitl, Kucherov etc, but I would pick Barkov or a prime Bergeron/Kopitar ahead of them every time. And this past season, Zibanejad is in that same conversation

The numbers bear it out too. He is in that league of center. More Anze and Barkov imo.

 

[True Blue]

He...looked like shit for most of that game yesterday.

2 points, great. Doesn't change the fact that he was useless most of this game and didn't bring one ounce of intensity or the great skating ability we saw all year.

He was in great company yesterday, as Panarin, CK, Strome and more were all invisible. All of them should take a look in the mirror before game 2, or else we'll be out of the bubble by Wednesday morning...

The whole team looked bad. But given a 5 month layoff, I do not think that this series is a barometer by which to judge.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

The whole team looked bad. But given a 5 month layoff, I do not think that this series is a barometer by which to judge.

It’s still a bad look.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Probably the most disappointing player on our team in the playoffs. I hope he was playing injured or something, he looked very sluggish, uncoordinated, and was not playing with much intensity. If he was slacking off during the pause and came in out of shape I’m not sure I see a future captain here.

 

[True Blue]

It’s still a bad look.

But not entirely unexpected. Not if you were realistic.

 

[True Blue]

Probably the most disappointing player on our team in the playoffs. I hope he was playing injured or something, he looked very sluggish, uncoordinated, and was not playing with much intensity. If he was slacking off during the pause and came in out of shape I’m not sure I see a future captain here.

If only he and Trouba could be packaged in one deal for multiple draft picks......

 

[Star Ocean]

Probably the most disappointing player on our team in the playoffs. I hope he was playing injured or something, he looked very sluggish, uncoordinated, and was not playing with much intensity. If he was slacking off during the pause and came in out of shape I’m not sure I see a future captain here.

Panarin was worse and costing 10m. I know you hate all swedish players but still.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

The whole team looked bad. But given a 5 month layoff, I do not think that this series is a barometer by which to judge.

Did Carolina not have a 5 month layoff?

 

[True Blue]

Did Carolina not have a 5 month layoff?

Not all teams are having the same experiences during the 5 months. We have no idea of who had access to training and who did not and what kind of training it was. There are also some things that need to be learned when you are the youngest team in the league.

 

[Rangers394]

Even though he didn't do much against Carolina, it's nice to actually have the 1st line center spot filled. That's one thing we can knock off the list

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

If only he and Trouba could be packaged in one deal for multiple draft picks......

Or Kopitar.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Panarin was worse and costing 10m. I know you hate all swedish players but still.

Why do you think I hate all Swedish players? I love Hank and was one of the few who said I wanted him starting over Igor

 

[Thirty One]

Any word on his injury? He didn't practice after Game 1.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Did Carolina not have a 5 month layoff?

I mean, yes, but the point is that we shouldn't judge a team based on how they perform is unprecedented and truly bizarre circumstances. It's like if the lights went off in the arena and it was pitch black, but they decided to still play and one team won the game, we wouldn't say "well, both teams had to deal with it, so..."

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I mean, yes, but the point is that we shouldn't judge a team based on how they perform is unprecedented and truly bizarre circumstances. It's like if the lights went off in the arena and it was pitch black, but they decided to still play and one team won the game, we wouldn't say "well, both teams had to deal with it, so..."

I don't know about that. They were still playing hockey. Plus, when you hire people at a normal job you hope that they can deal with adversity and ambiguity well. Why shouldn't we hold our superstars to that standard and in particular our HC?

 

[mrhockey193195]

I don't know about that. They were still playing hockey. Plus, when you hire people at a normal job you hope that they can deal with adversity and ambiguity well. Why shouldn't we hold our superstars to that standard and in particular our HC?

Fair points. I just have a hard time judging a player if they were not in peak condition or didn't spend the layoff skating during a pandemic. I anticipate many (ideally all) of them had their health and the health of their family as their top priority.

 

[haveandare]

I don't know about that. They were still playing hockey. Plus, when you hire people at a normal job you hope that they can deal with adversity and ambiguity well. Why shouldn't we hold our superstars to that standard and in particular our HC?

This isn’t the only time they’ve ever experienced and reacted to adversity. Overall they overachieved this year and met adversity along the way.

The point is it’s probably not wise to put too much weight into results in a circumstance that has never occurred before and very well may never occur again. It counts for something but it shouldn’t be the basis for decisions imo.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Why do you think I hate all Swedish players? I love Hank and was one of the few who said I wanted him starting over Igor

Everyone knows it's Midwesterners that Jovo has it out for.

 

[Edge]

Everyone knows it's Midwesterners that Jovo has it out for.

I can't totally blame him on that one though.

People from the midwest are often a little...different.

 

[broadwayblue]

Zibanejad was filthy this year. Are we really killing him for 3 bad games in a post-season in which we had no real shot of making any noise? Sounds about right.

Maybe we can get Brassard back...he's playoff proven.