Mika Zibanejad has full control of his Rangers fate — where he stands after Letter 2.0
NY Post
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mika Zibanejad is the only Ranger who has been with the organization every day between the first letter in February 2018 and the second that was released last week.
Now at a very different stage of his career than he was then, Zibanejad is in a unique position as Blueshirts president and general manager Chris Drury sets out to retool the roster. When he went through this the first time around, Zibanejad was 24 and in his second season in New York.
He didn’t recall feeling especially worried he was going to be moved, he said, but he also didn’t know for sure.
Now, equipped with a no-move clause until it is modified in the final season of his deal in 2029-30, Zibanejad has a say in his fate.
Asked how committed he is to what’s ahead, as well as his feeling on the possibility of being presented with the right trade destination, Zibanejad made his intentions known while also leaving it somewhat open-ended.
“I haven’t thought about any of that, honestly, in that sense,” Zibanejad said after the Rangers held practice at Honda Center on Sunday. “Again, it’s different because it’s not what’s being communicated. We talked about a retool and not a rebuild. I’m committed to being here. The situation is what it is right now, and you evaluate every time. I don’t think anyone thought about doing this four months ago, five months ago. Can’t say for certainty what’s going to happen in the future at all times. For now, I don’t have anything else on my mind [other] than to be here right now and try to help this team going forward somehow.
SEATTLE — You may not care much about the 49ers.
The Rangers have been here before. For the second time in eight years, the team has issued a letter declaring the season dead, the Stanley Cup window closed, and announcing the commencement of a partial teardown they hope will someday lead to the Canyon of Heroes.
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Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury made his intentions known to the team, the fan base and the rest of the National Hockey League on Friday afternoon.
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From the perch of Mika Zibanejad, this has been different. The Rangers still lost plenty of games at the start of the season. Still unintentionally constructed the shaky foundation that has since cratered all the way to last place in the Eastern Conference.
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SAN FRANCISCO — Jalen Brunson’s troublesome right ankle cost him a high-profile showdown.
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