First line centers are engines that make their teams go.
Amidst the Rangers struggles this season, their supposed top center, Mika Zibanejad, has been anything but that. His constant struggles on both ends of the ice have been well-documented. He has appeared as a shell of his former self: timid, slow, and lost.
In Thursday night's 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins, we caught a glimpse of vintage Zibanejad. Just under ten minutes into the contest, he tapped home a rebound off a Reilly Smith back-handed shot to score the Rangers first goal of the new year.
GET TO THE NET + THE REST WILL FOLLOW. pic.twitter.com/nMFtjvbp3e
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 3, 2025
While the goal will certainly not be included in a career highlight video, it served as an important one for Zibanejad. It counted as his 700th career point. It was his first even-strength goal since November 19th. And it seemingly helped him be a positive presence for the remainder of the game.
With Zibanejad on the ice at five-on-five, the Rangers posted an expected goals-for percentage of 66.42, accoring to Natural Stat Trick. This statistic becomes even more impressive due to the fact that Zibanejad and his linemates started just one of their 21 shifts in the offensive zone. If he can ride this performance into the future, he could become a net postive at even strength.
A Zibanejad resurgance would be boon for a team that has been famished for strong play down the middle all season. With Vincent Trocheck's regression, Filip Chytil's injury concerns, and Zibanejad's lackluster play, the Rangers have not been able to drive their offense. There is a long way to go to consider Zibanejad as an in-form player.
One strong game will not erase the lapses of play over the course of the season. However, it is a step in the right direction. The road back will be long, but Zibanejad just might be motivated enough in order to be up to the task.