Mika Zibanejad declares commitment to Rangers ahead of next steps of retool

The New York Rangers' season is over, and now fans wait to see what their next steps will be this offseason. Back in January, they announced their intent to undergo a roster retool, and the team got a head start by trading Artemi Panarin, Carson Soucy, Brennan Othmann, and Sam Carrick. But fans are wondering what exactly are the next steps in general manager Chris Drury's plans.

There is the potential of some players who have been around the Rangers for quite some time could be dealt. Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider are names that were floated around at the trade deadline, and could do so again this offseason. One Rangers star let it be known that he's not going anywhere.

While speaking with reporters on Friday, Mika Zibanejad was asked about the Rangers' retool plans continuing in the offseason. Zibanejad made it clear by saying, "I want to be here." Zibanejad said he doesn't believe the Rangers need to do too much to turn things around, citing the young players getting called up. Most importantly, Zibanejad wants to be with the team to oversee the turnaround.

Mika Zibanejad on status with Rangers: 'I want to be here'

"I've been here over 10 years. I've gone through the ups and downs," said Zibanejad. "...You just look around the league and see how fast it can go. You never know what's going to happen, obviously, with the team and the guys and what we do as an organization. I think just seeing the teams that made the playoffs and see how quick of a turn around it's been for some teams. I'm optimistic, especially with the young guys coming in too, playing. I don't feel like we need a whole lot. I want to be here to turn this around again and hopefully get another chance to win."

Breath a sigh of relief, Rangers fans. The last thing they would have wanted to hear was their best player wanting off the team.

Zibanejad knows how things can change on a year-to-year basis, citing the teams that made the playoffs. Just last year, teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Ducks missed out on the playoffs. Now, all four of those teams are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, all of whom are sitting in top three spots in their respective divisions. Let's not forget, teams like the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs went from the playoffs last year, to sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings alongside the Rangers.

It's no secret that Zibanejad is a fan of the youth movement on the Rangers. The likes of Adam Sykora, Drew Fortescue, and Dylan Garand receiving call-ups in the final month of the season provided a boost to the Rangers. Not to mention Gabe Perreault grew throughout the season and built legitimate chemistry on the top line next season alongside Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere. The prospect pool once looked dire for the Rangers, but the young players have shined when receiving the opportunity this season.

Zibanejad is coming off of a strong season in which he recorded 34 goals and 44 assists in 81 games played. For his efforts, he was named team MVP and earned the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. He proved that he can still be a true scoring threat on the team.

While speaking with reporters, Zibanejad was happy to prove his doubters that he is still capable of being a legitimate star on the team.

"I think I proved to not myself, but to maybe some other people that had a thing or two to say about me last year, to show what I can do and what I'm still capable of doing," said Zibanejad. "I still gotta bring it again next year. But of course it was a positive thing for me to not just prove everyone else, but for myself as well."

Zibanejad is motivated entering this offsesaon. Not only to continue building off of the strong individual season he had, but to also help turn the Rangers back into a contender.

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