What a difference a year makes. Last year, Mika Zibanejad was a pariah, someone who could be traded for peanuts and make the entire fan base happy. This year, Mika Zibanejad was the Rangers best and most consistent forward on a team that simply lacked almost everything. Halfway through his massive 8 year contract, Zibanejad centered a top line in the final months of the season that gave us hope.
Expected to be a wing to start the season, or perhaps even the 3C, Mika Zibanejad was the dominant 1C he once was. Zibanejad led the team in goals (34), assists (44, tied with Adam Fox), points (74), powerplay goals (16), powerplay assists (19), powerplay points (35), shorthanded goals (2), and shots on goal (215). His 215 shots on goal led the next Ranger (Alexis Lafreniere – 164) by over 50 shots. The offense ran through Zibanejad, and he delivered.
Zibanejad was revitalized this season. He not only led the Rangers in all scoring categories, he was a force in the offensive zone and created offense many different ways at both 5v5 and on the powerplay. The only real concerns with Zibanejad’s performance last season are whether it’s repeatable and whether his struggles to get out of the defensive zone were on him or on the team as a whole.
What’s interesting about this season is how Mika Zibanejad’s role changed under Mike Sullivan. Under Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, and David Quinn, Zibanejad was deployed primarily against top competition. That didn’t happen this season, as Sully flipped Zibanejad to a more offense role, starting most of his shifts after a whistle in the offensive zone. The 2025-2025 season was Zibanejad’s highest offensive faceoff start percentage (58%) since 2015-2016 with Ottawa.
The new top line of Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Gabe Perreault breathed new life into the Rangers and into fans. It’s still unknown if that trio can be a true top scoring line, but all three produced nearly a point per game to close out the season. If all three stick on PP1, there’s a solid chance the Rangers have three forwards at close to a point per game next season.
Mika Zibanejad 2025-2026 report card grade: A
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