Access the Rangers beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
At this time last year, the questions swirled. The rumors — and speculation — did, too. On paper, Mika Zibanejad had a full no-move clause. He had five years remaining on his deal. That, based on context alone, would’ve made him a guarantee to return.
But the Blueshirts were in the middle of disassembling their core, a task that started in December 2024 with Jacob Trouba and then continued in the offseason with Chris Kreider. It was the retool before the public retool, The Memo from president and general manager Chris Drury to other teams before The Letter 2.0 from Drury to fans. Zibanejad said at the time he had no plans of going anywhere. He believed in this group.
One year later, that belief from Zibanejad has been validated. Not in terms of success, with the Rangers still last in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday’s home finale against the Sabres.
Mika Zibanejad has scored 33 goals this season. Danny Wild-Imagn Images His 33 goals and 75 points mark Zibanejad’s most since the 2022-23 campaign, back when the Stanley Cup window felt wide open for that past era of Blueshirts.
He has played an integral role in the blossoming of rookie Gabe Perreault (10 goals, 25 points) and former No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafrenière (22 goals, 52 points) on the top line.
During the lowest moments last year and into the offseason, the optics surrounding Zibanejad suggested that perhaps he wouldn’t be part of the solution to everything that went wrong and would become the latest Rangers piece to be left in the past.
“I think he takes responsibility for helping some of the younger guys,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after Tuesday’s practice in Tarrytown. “Mika’s not a real rah-rah guy, but I think he’s a quiet leader and these are some of the ways that it manifests itself.”
Mika Zibanejad (left) is congratulated by Gabe Perrault after scoring a goal during the second period of the Rangers’ loss to the Blue Jackets on March 19, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS Zibanejad didn’t want to take credit for the success of his linemates. He described Perreault and Lafrenière as highly talented and skilled. He called them fun to skate alongside because of how they see the game. But Sullivan pointed to Zibanejad using the iPad alongside them on the bench while also being demanding and helping the young wingers understand why they’re having success as examples for how he has embraced a mentorship role.
And along the way, Zibanejad has given his career a second act. When questions started being asked last year about his future, he knew that was normal. He reset mentally over the summer. The meeting with Sullivan in Sweden helped, he said. And when he returned for the start of the season, Zibanejad wasn’t worried about the struggles carrying over from last season.
“It would’ve been easy to play along with what happened last year and have that be the truth,” Zibanejad said, “but I feel like the belief in myself and what I’m capable of doing and what I think I can do, and then obviously from the coaching staff, it’s been a good mix.”
Read the expert take on the Blueshirts Sign up for Inside the Rangers, a weekly Sports+ exclusive.
He recently skated in his 1,000th career game. He recorded a fifth consecutive season with at least 40 or more assists and a sixth season with 70 or more points, with the latter placing him fifth all time in Rangers history for that category. He leads the Blueshirts in points and goals this year. He leads them all time in power-play goals.
And perhaps most importantly, he has helped shape the rise of two foundational pieces for the Rangers’ next era. Perreault is just 20 years old. Lafrenière is just 24. In 18 games together, they’ve generated 44 high-danger scoring chances while allowing 35 against, according to Natural Stat Trick.
They produced 12 goals — the second most for any Rangers line combination this season, trailing just the Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Lafrenière line that had seasons’ worth of chemistry to work with.
Most of the questions — the bulk of them pressing — surrounding Zibanejad have faded, too. He still has four years remaining on his deal. He still has the no-move clause. That, by this point, has all become an afterthought with his revival.
“Doubting myself,” Zibanejad said, “was not the option coming into the season.”
