{"id":554813,"date":"2026-04-17T21:54:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T21:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/554813\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T21:54:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T21:54:35","slug":"i-want-to-be-here-mika-zibanejad-aims-to-help-rangers-rebound-next-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/554813\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I want to be here\u2019: Mika Zibanejad aims to help Rangers rebound next season"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York Rangers News<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"avatar\"\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Mika Zibanejad<\/a> was one of the few bright spots in the midst of the gloom and doom that accompanied the New York Rangers\u2019 second straight non-playoff season. He led the Rangers<\/a> with 34 goals, 78 points, and 16 power-play goals, rebounding from a disappointing 2024-25 season \u2013 and said at breakup day on Friday that he has no interest in being anywhere else when training camp begins in September.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be here,\u201d Zibanejad stated without hesitation<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve been here now for 10 years, so I\u2019ve gone through the ups and downs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think overall, (it was) obviously disappointing with finishing last and where we were in the standings and how the season went. But in a way try to see the positives. Toward the end I thought we did some good things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NHL:Danny Wild-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Zibanejad reached the 30-goal mark for the fourth time in his NHL career, had his highest point total since setting a career high of 91 in 2022-23 and passed five players \u2013 including Hockey Hall of Famers Andy Bathgate and Mark Messier \u2014 on the Rangers\u2019 all-time goals list.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s now fourth in team history with 284;<\/a> only Rod Gilbert (406), Jean Ratelle (336) and longtime teammate Chris Kreider (326) have more. Zibanejad is also up to seventh in Rangers history with 667 points, <\/a>and on March 23 became the 22nd player born in Sweden to play 1,000 NHL games.<\/p>\n

Zibanejad also had the first hat trick in Winter Classic history and the first five-point night in any NHL outdoor game to help the Rangers defeat the Florida Panthers 5-1 <\/a>at loanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2. He won \u201cThe Cocoa Cup,\u201d <\/a>given to the Winter Classic MVP.<\/p>\n

\"NHL:Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

It was a big bounce-back for a player who had dropped to 20 goals and 62 points in 2024-25, was regarded as a major reason the Rangers missed the playoffs one season after winning the Presidents\u2019 Trophy as the League\u2019s regular-season champion \u2013 and was the subject of trade speculation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, obviously, it\u2019s a better feeling,\u201d he said of his improved offensive numbers. \u201cI think I proved to some other people who had a thing or two to say about me last year to show what I can do and what I\u2019m still capable of. I still have to bring it again next year, but it was a positive thing not just for myself, but for everyone else as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zibanejad\u2019s rebound was recognized by fans, the media and his teammates. Fans voted him winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award<\/a>; the media voted him as team MVP; and his teammates selected him as the recipient of the Players\u2019 Player Award.<\/p>\n

Mika Zibanejad eager to help Rangers return to playoffs<\/p>\n

General manager Chris Drury told fans in mid-January that the Rangers would be going through another retool<\/a> in the midst of a disappointing season. But Zibanejad made it clear during his exit day interview that the Big Apple, where he\u2019s played the past decade after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators, is where he wants to be.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also optimistic about returning to the playoffs after a slew of young players helped the Blueshirts finish 12-10-3 in their final 25 games.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust look around the League and see how fast it could go,\u201d he said of returning to the playoffs. \u201cYou never know what\u2019s going to happen with the team and what we do as an organization, but I think seeing the teams that made the playoffs and how quick of a turnaround it\u2019s been for some, I\u2019m optimistic, especially with some of the young guys coming in and playing. I don\u2019t feel like we need a whole lot. I want to be here to turn this around again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NHL:Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

With four more seasons remaining on a contract that carries an $8.5 million salary-cap hit,<\/a> the Rangers need Zibanejad to keep producing. He\u2019s also being counted on to provide leadership for a team that figures to need more from its young players next season in order to avoid another early summer.<\/p>\n

He is looking forward to both challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously the situation wasn\u2019t maybe what we wanted \u2013 not much fun. But it gave us the opportunity to see some of the young guys and see a little bit from some other guys, too,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s something I hope we can carry into next season.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\"avatar\"<\/p>\n

\t\tJohn Kreiser covered his first Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and is still going … More about John Kreiser<\/a><\/p>\n

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