The Rangers have plenty riding on Mika Zibanejad, and the simplest version of the story is this: they can’t afford for him to slip.
That wasn’t the case a year ago. Zibanejad was coming into training camp last September after two straight seasons of declining production and the worst full campaign he’d had since 2017-18. His body language and general funk were part of the backdrop for a miserable 2024-25 season, one that saw the Rangers go from Presidents’ Trophy winners to out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs entirely.
Twelve months later, the picture looks very different. Zibanejad is now viewed as a reliable bet heading into the 2026-27 season after leading the Rangers with 34 goals and 78 points last year.
He looked invested shift after shift, played a true 200-foot game, and re-established himself as a leader. That turnaround was recognized when he was voted team MVP and won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award for the third time, and first since the 2019-20 season.
Even so, his bounce-back didn’t pull the team with him. The Rangers actually finished with fewer points than the year before and ended up last in the Eastern Conference. Only the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks had worse records in the NHL.
There is still belief that the Rangers can be better this season, and maybe even get back to the postseason for the first time in three years. A big part of that optimism is tied to Zibanejad keeping his scoring touch and overall level of play where it was a year ago.
That expectation is showing up among the fan base too. In a recent Forever Blueshirts poll on social media, a majority of Rangers fans picked Zibanejad to lead the team in scoring again.
But the Rangers are thin enough that a downturn from Zibanejad would be a major problem. He’s 33 now, and the possibilities are obvious: last season could have been a late-career peak rather than a new baseline, or injuries could interrupt his season the way they did a year ago for Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin and J.T. Miller.
And if he does backslide, the Rangers could be staring at real trouble. Even if Miller bounces back, the club likely needs 70 points or more from Zibanejad to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, especially after trading Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth over the offseason.
That move matters. Without Trocheck, the Rangers no longer have the same cushion down the middle. Even with both Zibanejad and Trocheck in the lineup last season, the team ranked 23rd in the league at 2.87 goals per game.
So if there’s one thing that could undo the Rangers, this might be it. Short of major injuries to players like Shesterkin and Fox, a drop from Zibanejad may be the hardest hit this team could take in 2026-27.
For now, though, it’s still just a question. The signs point to another steady season, especially after Zibanejad and his new linemates, Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault, finished the final quarter of the 2025-26 season strong. There’s also the possibility that a line with newcomer Pavel Dorofeyev could work out well for him.
The answers are coming soon enough. Zibanejad is entering his 15th NHL season, and opening night is three weeks away.
In Other News...
Rangers Still Have One Lineup Debate That Could Shape Everything
The Rangers forward puzzle is starting to come into focus as the season approaches, and the most interesting part is still the one that could influence everything else. There are already plenty of moving pieces to sort through, from Will Cuylles role to how the team balances speed, skill and size, but the conversation around the top six has a different feel because it is less about filling spots and more about finding a combination that actually clicks.
J.T. Miller sits at the center of that discussion, with the Rangers weighing different ways to build around him and make the rest of the lineup fit. There is also the matter of Matt Rempe, whose expected return adds another layer if he is healthy, since his size and presence could change the look of the team in a hurry. For a club trying to settle its identity before opening night, the unanswered question is not just who plays where, but which version of the Rangers they want to be. [Read more 🡒]
Jaroslav Chmela Is Giving The Rangers A Real Bottom-Six Decision
Jaroslav Chmela has turned a once-for-future conversation into a real roster question for the Rangers. The 21-year-old prospect has steadily improved, and his recent NHL call-up left enough of an impression that the coaching staff is now treating him as more than a depth name in camp. With the organization still trying to sort out the bottom six, he has become one of the more interesting players on the board.
The wrinkle is that the Rangers do not have to force the issue right away, especially with Hartford reshaping its coaching setup to help prospects keep moving forward. Chmelas development path is clearly trending up, but the next step could still come either in New York or back with the Wolf Pack, depending on how the final decisions shake out. For a player who has earned more attention with each look, that makes the coming days worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Fox Puts Real Pressure On This Rangers Retool
As the Rangers head into a roster retool after finishing last in the Eastern Conference, Adam Fox sits at the center of the conversation whether the team likes it or not. He is still their top defenseman and is under contract for three more years at $9.5 million per season, which makes him both a cornerstone and a difficult piece to separate from any bigger rethink by general manager Chris Drury.
Fox did not exactly slam the door on his future when the questions started coming during the season, but he also did not offer the kind of firm commitment that quiets a market like New York. Since the year ended, his tone has been a little more encouraging, with a sense that the Rangers still have enough to build on, though the real issue is whether the organizations direction matches that optimism. [Read more 🡒]