In the New York Rangers 8-1 beatdown over the Washington Capitals, there were plenty of star-studded performances. At a meaningless time in an underwhelming season, there were still some positives to rally around .
Firstly, Will Cuylle had himself a night with a hat-trick and a fight to boot, plus the amount of hits he laid. second, Igor Shesterkin was able to stop a really good Capitals offense.
But, last and certainly not least, Mika Zibanejad had himself a three-assist night, giving him a grand total of 42 on the season. This is the fifth-straight season that No. 93 has helped out on 40 or more goals, and with his 33 goals this season, he is nearing a point-per-game status. He has not been that caliber of player since the 2022-23 season, in which he has 91 points in 82 games.
Cannot deny his importance
WIth Zibanejad, the Rangers faithful are kind of funny. Many love him to death, and admire his ability to play the game the way he does. And, some do not see him as a reliable-type, and are quick to pass down that judgement that he is not a true first-line center.
But, the stats show that he is in fact a consistent player. Like it or not, in one way or another, Zibanejad answers the bell and usually puts on quite a show. With 75 points in 77 games, Zibanejad has hit or exceeded that mark with the Rangers four times, and he's had 70 or more in six of his 10 seasons on Broadway.
Both 2023-24 and 2024-25 were down years, but that goes for just about everyone on this Rangers roster. This season's revival shows how important he is to this team, and he can a leader for the next generation.
Fans should be optimistic about that, because Zibanejad's found a new gear since the calendar flipped from 2025 to 2026. He finished with January with 22 points in 14 games, had one point in three February games, 17 points in 16 games in March, and he's already up to five points in three games this month. In total, that is 45 points in his last 36 games, or 1.25 points per game.
Zibanejad has been in the league for 15 seasons, and at 32 almost 33, things are going to be changing soon. He could be a first-line center, that was abundantly shown this season, but eventually he will be in a position where he needs to be slotted lower down the depth chart. But for now he remains a top piece for the team, and over these finals games he will be a player to watch as he tries to get back to that point-per-game status.