The Rangers have been without a captain since Ryan McDonagh was sent to Tampa in a massive trade back on Feb. 26, 2018. Ever since he left, there has been a void in leadership among the Rangers. Sure, there have been veteran players who have brought plenty of experience and quality mentoring to youngsters; but nobody who fits this mold has brought the skill on the ice consistently enough to deserve the C…. Until this season. Mika Zibanejad has become consistently reliable in all situations: penalty kills, power-plays, 5-on-5, 3-on-3, etc. He scores goals in all different ways: Slapshots, snappers, wrist shots, breakaways, you name it (the YouTube clip below of his 5-goal night on March 5 displays exactly how versatile his scoring is). Over his time in a NYR sweater, he has increased his goal total each year. He now has 71 points this season (career high is 74), but the Rangers still have 15 more games left to play this season. This has been a breakout/career season for Zibanejad.

His reliability as an offensive threat is real, and is only getting better. His consistency on the ice. His offensive numbers. His professionalism and leadership off the ice. He checks all the boxes for what you need in a captain. He even DJ’s and produces his own music too! Its his time now to lead the Rangers into the next decade. They will have the pieces moving forward. Elite talent: Zibanejad, Kreider (sometimes), and Panarin. Young guns to build around: Chytil, Kakko, Fox, and Shesterkin. Supporting talent: Tony D, Lindgren, and Jesper Fast. I always say that “in order to win a Stanley Cup in today’s game, you need a world-class center.” Zibanejad has finally become exactly that. I truly believe he’s ready to take the Ranger to new heights as a team. The only thing he’s missing is the C on his jersey. The Rangers need his leadership moving forward. Its time they recognized and honored him for what he has brought to the team.