Blue Line Station
Fansided

New York Rangers: Ranking the five best players under Alain Vigneault

By Nicholas Zararis

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach of the New York Rangers Alain Vigneault yells out from behind the bench against the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 22, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Rangers 3-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach of the New York Rangers Alain Vigneault yells out from behind the bench against the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 22, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Rangers 3-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 07: Mika Zibanejad
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 07: Mika Zibanejad /

4. Mika Zibanejad

Even though he just turned 25-years-old this week, Mika Zibanejad has already played six seasons in the NHL. In Ottawa, he was a raw but talented player that played top line minutes with skilled forwards like Bobby Ryan and Mike Hoffman. However, he was never really able to put it all together. Take it for needing a change of scenery, the Senators not being particularly good, or just being a late bloomer.

Upon his arrival in New York, Zibanejad has blossomed into a bonafide star. In fact, if it were not for the two serious injuries he’s suffered, his production would’ve been even better. During the 2016-2017 season, he suffered a broken fibula and missed 26 games. This past season, he suffered a concussion and missed ten games.

Under Vigneault, the center was given a marquee position on the power play. As the designated shooter and one of the few right-handed shots on the team, he gets a lot of the scoring chances. This past season, Zibanejad scored 14 goals on the power play on the way to setting a career high in goals.

The now former Rangers head coach found a way to maximize Zibanejad’s production. Things didn’t end well with the Rangers for Vigneault, but they should recognize what he did for the Swedish center’s development.

Home/Analysis