The New York Rangers are undergoing an identity change, and that’s led to reports the Toronto Maple Leafs could swoop in and acquire the forward they need.
In what could be considered one of the worst downfalls in recent NHL history, the New York Rangers have fallen off after being considered potential Stanley Cup finalists.
Unable to find any sort of chemistry, the team has already parted ways with former captain Jacob Trouba and winger Kaapo Kakko, and there are talks about moving other veterans like Chris Kreider.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, however, one name that could be in play and has been linked to the Maple Leafs is Mika Zibanejad. Speaking on “The Fan Hockey Show” on Sportsnet, Friedman mentioned the Leafs wanted a player with term and Zibanejad certainly offers it.
Mika Zibanejad’s perfect fit with Toronto
The 31-year-old is no stranger to the Maple Leafs, spending the first five seasons of his career with the Ottawa Senators. Drafted sixth overall by the Sens in 2011, he’s been one of the NHL’s most reliable producers in his career.
With 699 points in 884 games (300G, 399A), it’s obvious that while he doesn’t get the recognition as some other stars in the league, he’s just as good. Only scoring fewer than 20 goals three times in his career, he can be counted on to give you 25-30 goals per season.
Leafs Nation reporter Nick Alberga echoed Friedman’s sentiments as well, believing the Swedish winger can offer the Maple Leafs a lot going forward:
“It would be a complicated deal to put together, but at the very least, I think the Leafs should inquire on Mika Zibanejad’s availability. One source with strong knowledge of the situation indicated to me that the 31-year-old pivot is available for trade and is willing to waive his no movement clause for the right spot.”
On paper, for all intents and purposes, Zibanejad would tick a lot of boxes for Craig Berube and company up the middle.
He’s big, he’s dynamic, he shoots right and maybe most notably, he’s not a ghost in the postseason. In 74 career playoff games, the Swede has tallied 63 points.
Not only great offensively, he’s also a big body at 6-foot-2 and has nearly a 50% faceoff percentage throughout his 14-year tenure. Blessed with great hockey IQ, Zibanejad is often always in a good position to score or to help his team in its zone.
He instantly makes the Maple Leafs top nine better and can slide in and out with any of their lines.
If the team wants to rest Auston Matthews, he can play top minutes there. If Max Domi struggles, he can elevate the third line. If John Tavares and William Nylander need another goal-scorer, he could shift to the wing.
The one man caveat with Zibanejad is his price tag. Making a staggering $8.5M for the next five season, Toronto would not only need to part with several of their contracts but need to ask the Rangers to eat some salary; not the easiest request.
It is going to cost a lot to bring Zibanejad aboard, but the best teams who make it the furthest end up needing to break the bank. This could be the one time Toronto needs to figure out how to make a splash and finally make a statement in the playoffs.
