It's A Make-Or-Break Season For Mika Zibanejad

It’s going to be a make-or-break year for Mika Zibanejad with the New York Rangers. 

Over the past couple of seasons, Zibanejad has taken a step back from a statistical standpoint, which has led to some concerns and questions about the trajectory of his career moving forward. 

During the 2024-25 campaign, Zibanejad started out slow, as his slump dominated the headlines and all eyes were on the veteran forward. 

However, he began to turn things around towards the second half of the season, especially when he moved to the wing and played alongside J.T. Miller. 

Even with some of his struggles, Zibanejad still finished the year with 20 goals, 42 assists, and 62 points. 

The big question going into the year is whether Zibanejad will play at center or the wing, and that’s up for debate. 

If Mike Sullivan wants to maximize the talent on his top-six group, it would be wise to put Zibanejad at the wing and have him alternate in the face-off zone with Miller. 

The Rangers are still relying on the 32-year-old to be a focal point of the team’s offense, so we’ll have to see if he’s still up for the challenge or if Father Time has caught up to him.