New York Rangers Star Forward Mika Zibanejad Embraces Mike Sullivan's Recent Roster Move
Photo credit: Timothy T Ludwig-imagn images
The New York Rangers will have a new look behind the bench, as Mike Sullivan takes the reins in Madison Square Garden. Along with the shift in coaches, a shift in philosophy will take place, as Mika Zibanejad will shift to the wing for the 2025-26 season.
The New York Rangers are a team that is in transition. From the coaching changes to the lineup changes, the team looks different.
They have moved on from core players like Chris Kreider, Kaapo Kakko, Jacob Trouba, and K'Andre Miller.
This resulting shift in priorities builds on a bigger belief that GM Chris Drury is repositioning the team for a playoff run through free agency. Amidst all this chaos, though, forward Mika Zibanejad has accepted a new role as a winger in the organization.
The majority of his career in New York was spent as a centerman, playing some of his best hockey as a Blueshirt.
His career year came in 2022-23, where he'd score 91 points under Gerard Gallant.
Mika Zibanejad's Shift to the Wing & 2025 outlook
Since then, his production has steadily declined as a Ranger, and Peter Laviolette sought to stop the bleeding.
By doing so, he'd shift Zibanejad to the flank of JT Miller in order to give Zibanejad fewer responsibilities and a better chance at creating offense and scoring goals.
The result? A 62-point season.
«As part of that conversation, one of the things he expressed to me is even though he lined up on the wing on the face-offs, he felt they were interchangeable in the sense that they could read off each other,» Sullivan said.
With Mike Sullivan behind the bench, it looks like it will be more of the same, as he could build on the chemistry he found with JT Miller on the same line last season.
Sullivan went to Sweden to discuss the shift in priorities, as Zibanejad has welcomed the move to the wing, after a meet and greet with the coach.
Despite Zibanejad's 52-point face-off win percentage, Miller came in at 54.3 percent, and it's easy to see why he's riding the hot hand.
Zibanejad is a franchise player and has scored 250 goals, eighth in team history, and points with 589.
He will have to be flexible to find work in Sullivan's new regime, and it may work out for the best.
Previously on NYRangersInsider
| POLL | ||
AOUT 22 | 69 ANSWERS New York Rangers Star Forward Mika Zibanejad Embraces Mike Sullivan's Recent Roster Move Do you think forward Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers plays better on the wing? | ||
| Yes | 46 | 66.7 % |
| No | 23 | 33.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
