In last night's victory against the New York Islanders, the Rangers' defensive core saw half of its active participants sent down the tunnel to the locker room. Adam Fox, K'Andre Miller, and Braden Schneider all suffered wounds in the battle for New York, but some were less significant than others. Braden Schneider returned to the fray, but the other two were knocked out of the game with injuries, leaving the Rangers to find someone to fill the gaps while the entire defensive unit was being tended to.
So, who got the call? Mika Zibanejad. That struggling center that so many have criticized this season for his inability to produce when the Rangers need him was given the nod to fill the gaps on the blue line. Peter Laviolette complimented Mika's ability to think the game, but the flexibility Zibanejad has shown in the last three weeks has been exceptional, and it is a great tool the Rangers can use going forward.
Now, I'm not suggesting Zibanejad should be Adam Fox's replacement on the blue line if that injury is severe, but the fact that he was so comfortable filling in was a good sign. He's also played on the wing, which shows a fantastic understanding. He's been rejuvenated since the arrival of J.T. Miller, producing at a rate of 1.375 points per game. That's a drastic improvement from his struggles early in the season.
There's a long way to go with Zibanejad to prove this is sustainable, but the change in the locker room seems to have woken the Swedish center up from his slumber. New York is a vastly better team when Mika is firing, and while this isn't conclusive proof of his return to his best, there's a reason to be excited about Mika Zibanejad right now. It's been long since the Rangers fanbase could be optimistic about the future with the former Ottawa Senators draft pick.