With Artemi Panarin out of the picture for the Rangers, teammate Mika Zibanejad has stepped up his game and may soon be viewed as a potential trade asset.
Over the past two seasons, Zibanejad has hit a productive streak, netting 11 goals and accumulating 21 points during 13 games in January. This includes two hat tricks and scoring in both losses to the Islanders earlier this week. Remarkably, this performance is almost equal to his 12 goals from the first 41 games this season.
“Micah has had an outstanding year,” said Rangers manager Mike Sullivan following Thursday’s match against the Islanders. “He’s a complete player, standing at 6 feet 1 inch. His defensive game is solid, and his offensive instincts shine through every night.”
“He’s an important player who genuinely cares about the Rangers and our direction. I’d say he’s one of our most consistent guys.”
Panarin, who has been the top scorer for the team, has been absent for the last two games due to a pending suspension and is not expected to return until after a break for the Milan Olympics. Meanwhile, team president and general manager Chris Drury is evaluating potential trades.
Like Panarin, the 32-year-old Zibanejad holds a full no-movement clause, which complicates any potential trades before the March 6 deadline since he would need to waive that clause.
Despite having a minus-6 in offensive plays this month and a minus-18 for the season, Zibanejad’s hefty eight-year, $68 million contract from 2022 has an average annual cap hit of $8.5 million, creating challenges around trading him this year.
However, if Zibanejad continues to contribute offensively, that situation could shift, especially if the Rangers consider absorbing part of his salary.
In Thursday’s game, he recorded a game-high five shots on goal, marking his 23rd goal of the season, leading the team.
“We had plenty of chances to score more,” Zibanejad reflected, noting the challenges of maintaining a positive outlook after consecutive losses. “It’s tough to stay upbeat after losing.”
Despite Zibanejad’s recent surge in scoring, the Rangers have struggled to secure wins, claiming only three victories in their last 16 games (3-11-2) and currently sitting last in the Eastern Conference.
Now, there’s also the emotional strain of knowing that Panarin will be traded, with other moves likely on the horizon.
“That’s just the nature of the sport,” Sullivan acknowledged. “Of course, it affects them; they’re human after all. They’ve managed to stick together, and when we prepare for games, they know how to compete and support each other. We’ll keep that focus moving forward.”
