Mika Zibanejad on verge of NHL history against team that let him get away

Tonight, Mika Zibanejad will make NHL history, and the timing couldn’t be scripted better by Hollywood’s best writers. While the Rangers are playing out the string of a disappointing season, there is still time to celebrate a milestone that adds to No. 93’s legacy as a modern-day Blueshirt icon.

Monday's contest against the Ottawa Senators will be the 719th game of Zibanejad’s career in a New York sweater, and his 1,000th career NHL game overall. It is a journey that began back in 2011, with Ottawa, and in the decade plus since, Zibanejad has evolved from a young player that hadn't quite reached his potential with the Senators into one of the league’s more underrated centers. Tonight isn't just a celebration of longevity, it’s a chance to recognize the remarkable return to form he’s enjoyed this season.

Silencing the doubters with a return to form

The 2025-26 campaign will largely be remembered as a step back for the organization, but Zibanejad’s personal resurgence has been a massive silver lining. After a frustrating 2024-25 season where his production dipped to 62 points, Mika has found his elite gear once again. He enters tonight’s milestone with 30 goals and 37 assists for 67 points in 69 games, putting him squarely on pace to finish as a point-per-game player for the first time since 2023.

This upswing can be traced back to the return of J.T. Miller last season, and in the 101 games since that trade, Zibanejad has racked up exactly 100 points. The veteran’s relationship with Miller, combined with having David Quinn back on the bench as an assistant, has revitalized his game.

Mika March is back and better than ever

What makes this season’s "Mika March" so impressive is that he’s doing it without the safety net of Artemi Panarin. With 14 points in 11 games (1.27 P/GP) so far this month, Zibanejad is currently putting up his best March numbers since the 2020-21 season.

To put his current heater in perspective, his 1.27 P/GP pace is currently outperforming his output from the last two years and is closing in on the 1.31 P/GP mark he set in 2021. While it may not reach the untouchable sicko mode heights of March 2020, where he averaged over two points per game before the league shutdown, it proves that his ability to take over a game in the spring remains one of the most reliable forces in hockey.

Game 1,000: The latest in a record-breaking year

The 1,000-game mark is just the latest accolade in a season defined by historical climbs. Earlier this year, he was dubbed "Miami Mika" after a record-setting five-point performance and a hat trick at the Winter Classic.

He followed that up in January by becoming the Rangers' all-time leader in power-play goals, tallying his 117th man-advantage marker to pass Camille Henry and Chris Kreider. That same night, he recorded his ninth career hat trick as a Ranger, tying a franchise record held by Bill Cook for nearly 90 years.

When he buried his 30th goal of the season on Sunday against Winnipeg, he officially pulled even with Adam Graves for fourth on the Rangers' all-time goals list (280).

He now looks up at only Chris Kreider (326), Jean Ratelle (336), and Rod Gilbert (406). Tonight is about 1,000 games, but for Rangers fans, it’s really about celebrating a decade of excellence from a player who was never supposed to get away from tonight's opponent.

A legacy destined for the historic rafters of Madison Square Garden

While 1,000 games is a towering achievement, the story of No. 93 on Broadway is far from finished. With four more years remaining on his contract after this season, Zibanejad is in a prime position to challenge the very top of the Rangers' all-time scoring leaderboards and perhaps even threaten Rod Gilbert’s once-untouchable records. If he continues on this trajectory, it isn't a matter of if but when his number 93 eventually rises to the MSG rafters to take its place among the greatest to ever wear the sweater.