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Is Mika Zibanejad the New York Rangers Superstar Player?

By John Barone

NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 31: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers reacts after scoring the game winning goal in the third period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on January 31, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The Rangers defeated the Devils 4-3. (Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 31: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers reacts after scoring the game winning goal in the third period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on January 31, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The Rangers defeated the Devils 4-3. (Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Mika Zibanejad is by far the Rangers best player this season and will be their number one center for years to come. The question is whether he can reach NHL superstar status.

There is no doubt that Mika Zibanejad is having the best season of his career so far, but is he a true superstar? First, we must determine who is a superstar in this league.

The players that come to mind when hearing super star are the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and Alexander Ovechkin. All of these players have a few things in common. They record a significant amount of points, especially on the power play and and are counted on to score when their team needs it the most. They all play a full 200 foot game and will be on the ice at the important defensive situations. Finally, they are all leaders, team captains who drive their teammates to excel by example and through leadership.

Points

Zibanejad is having quite the season posting 63 points in 64 games. This is a career high in points in his eighth season in the NHL. At a point per game, Zibanejad is showing his ability to contribute to the offense whether it be by scoring goals or getting assists.

Zibanejad is also creating a lot of offense by producing a large amount of shots. Currently he has 188 shots on goal, which helps create offense by producing rebounds on opportunity for other players. This could be a result of why he leads the team in assists and is tied for goals with Chris Kreider. Superstar players are also able to come up with points at clutch moments. Zibanejad has a total of five game winning goals so far this season to lead the team.

Power Play

To have an impact on a team, the star player must be able to contribute to the special teams. Zibanejad has shown that this season with 20 points on the power play. He currently sits at 36th in the NHL in points on the power play, which is among the league’s elite players. Some noticeable names that Zibanejad is above are  Mark Scheifele, Mathew Barzal and Alex Galchenyuk.

The ability to produce on the power play allows for Zibanejad to have more ice time and a bigger impact on the team as a whole.

Plays Both Sides of the Puck

Some of the best players in the league are able to put up points on a regular as well as prevent goals from happening. Mika Zibanejad is the Rangers leading forward in time on ice for the penalty kill. This shows the ability to play in your own zone and play defense.

ZIbanejad also leads the team in defensive zone starts with 162 at even strength. This can be attributed to Head Coach David Quinn’s trust in him to play solid defense or to win the face off. To be considered a superstar, your coach must trust you to play all portions of  the game.

Leadership

A big portion of being a superstar is being a leader on and off the ice. The biggest superstars in the league are captains of their teams and leaders in the locker room. Zibanejad has that leadership quality that many of the superstars in the league have. He is able to lead by example and show what it takes to lead a team.

In my opinion, Zibanejad is a great player but is not at a superstar caliber yet. He is able to produce at all portions of the game, but may not be producing enough to be superstar status. I feel next season Zibanejad, if placed with another great winger besides Chris Kreider, along with the Rangers naming him captain, will have a stellar season where he will be above a point per game and can reach that elusive superstar status.

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