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New York Rangers: Takeaways from the Zibanejad show in Ottawa

By Andrew Steele-Davis

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 05: New York Rangers fans celebrate New York Rangers Center Mika Zibanejad (93) third goal to complete his hat trick during the second period of the NHL game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 5, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 05: New York Rangers fans celebrate New York Rangers Center Mika Zibanejad (93) third goal to complete his hat trick during the second period of the NHL game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 5, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ON – OCTOBER 5: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers celebrates his second period goal against the Ottawa Senators with team mate Tony DeAngelo #77 on the bench at Canadian Tire Centre on October 5, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – OCTOBER 5: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers celebrates his second period goal against the Ottawa Senators with team mate Tony DeAngelo #77 on the bench at Canadian Tire Centre on October 5, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /

1. The Mika Zibanejad show rolls on

We couldn’t really start anywhere else, could we?

Before we delve in, let’s just go over some stats for the forward from the opening two games of the 2019-20 NHL regular season…

Goals: 4

Assists: 4

Points: 8

Yes, Mika Zibanejad comfortably leads the NHL in points with eight after two games with a slew of players, including Toronto Maple Leafs stud Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, below him with five points.

Of course, we have only just played a tiny slither of the year but that can’t take away from what a start to the season it has been for Zibanejad, who has been simply outstanding.

He’s been the best player on the ice by some distance in each of the Rangers’ first two games and he is on pace for a historic year.

Dictating play from the first drop of the puck against his former team, Zibanejad beat up on the Senators who must be kicking themselves for trading the center along with a second round draft pick to the Rangers in 2016 for just forward Derick Brassard and a seventh-round pick.

That trade looks like pure daylight robbery now.

OTTAWA, ON – OCTOBER 5: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers stickhandles the puck on a shorthanded scoring chance against the Ottawa Senators, leading to his hat-trick goal at Canadian Tire Centre on October 5, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – OCTOBER 5: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers stickhandles the puck on a shorthanded scoring chance against the Ottawa Senators, leading to his hat-trick goal at Canadian Tire Centre on October 5, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Back on to last night’s game and Zibanejad completed a highlight-reel hat trick, including a power play tuck and a shorthanded effort, but the standout goal was his second which came after a breathtaking give-and-go with Pavel Buchnevich with Artemi Panarin involved too.

Not bad going at all.

Zibanejad also recorded a primary helper on another Panarin power play goal, and it has arguably been a while since the Rangers have boasted a center who can dictate games and take control such as the Swede can.

The forward was also 18-4 in the faceoff circle for a winning percentage of 82 percent, with the Rangers superb on faceoffs overall with a percentage of 66.7 percent.

It is perhaps unrealistic to expect the 26-year-old to keep this pace up for the duration of 2019-20 but, there is no doubt that Zibanejad is living up to his potential and he’s now getting the rest of the NHL to sit up and take notice of his notable talents.

There is now a strong argument to suggest that we can start considering if Zibanejad is the genuine No.1 center this franchise has been craving, while he will have no problem being considered as one of the top 20 elite forwards in the NHL this time next year if he keeps on his current course.

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