The Milan reset: Why Mika Zibanejad needs Team Sweden as much as they need him

Out of all the players on the New York Rangers' roster, Mika Zibanejad felt like the best bet to be named to his country's Olympic roster. The news was made official on Friday, and in just over a month's time Zibanejad will one again be representing his country of Sweden in best-on-best hockey. This is an enviorment in which Zibanejad has been comfortable and thrived previously, and the timing could end up being perfect for both him and the Rangers.

The Rangers are one of the worst teams in the NHL, and that takes a toll

Zibanejad started off the season with just six points in 12 games, and has 24 points (eight goals and 15 assists) in his last 29 games played in November and December. He's currently in a bit of a slump where he's not shooting the puck nearly as much as he should, but he's in a better spot now than he was at this point last season.

The Rangers still have a month and change's worth of hockey left before the Olympics, so Zibanejad certainly has some time to turn things around before he suits up for his country once again. The hope is that playing for Sweden brings out the best in Zibanejad, and that being surrounded by other elite players reminds him of how good it feels to win, and that can translate to some success back in New York come March.

Zibanejad's international record speaks for itself

International hockey has been a big part of his career as a hockey player, and it started back in 2012 at the World Junior Championships. A young Zibanejad scored the golden goal in overtime to defeat Russia 1-0, and it snapped a three decade long gold medal drought for Sweden.

Zibanejad also has reveled in having the opportunity to represent Sweden at the World Championships, and tallied six goals, five assists, and 11 points in 10 games during the 2018 tournament which resulted in a gold medal.

This past summer he held a leadership role for Sweden as an alternate captain, and he tallied eight points in nine games on the way to a bronze medal. In total international competition as a pro, Zibanejad has 10 goals, 15 assists, and 25 points in 26 games. As a junior player, he scored 30 goals, added 27 assists, and finished with 57 points in 48 games per Elite Prospects.

Zibanejad's projected role at Olympics

Zibanejad is someone who could end up on the second or third line depending on how Sweden wants to balance the talent throughout the lineup. He will have a chance to be flanked by talented wingers such as Gabriel Landeskog, Lucas Raymond, Fillip Forsberg, and William Nylander, and any combination of those players will bring out the best of Zibanejad. He won't be expected to carry the mail and drive play, and that can allow Zibanejad to focus on setting up his teammates, and getting to his spots on the power play.

So while it is true that Zibanejad is someone who will benefit from being part of the team, Sweden is getting a player with a strong track record. The world has seen what Zibanejad is capable of at the height of his powers with production well over a point per game while he was scoring over 30 goals a season. If that version of Zibanejad is present for the Olympics, it bodes well for Sweden, Zibanejad, and eventually the New York Rangers.