Mika Zibanejad, who won gold with Sweden at the 2018 Worlds, is eager to chase the Stanley Cup with his revitalized New York Rangers.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Some of Mika Zibanejad’s songs are more prophetic than others.
The 26-year-old New York Rangers centre, who doubles as a DJ in his spare time, released two catchy electronic music singles in 2017. “Can’t Go Back Home” was a little bit off-base, as he was right next door to his native Sweden when he helped Tre Kronor win its second straight IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Copenhagen in 2018.
However, “Forever” was bang-on. The memory of capturing that world titles along with NHL stars like Filip Forsberg, John Klingberg and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will last a lifetime for Zibanejad.
Right now, Zibanejad is excited about helping the Rangers regain their status as a playoff contender. Even though the 183-cm, 103-kg veteran posted a career-high 30 goals and 44 assists last season, his club missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Yes, he racked up eight points to help the Rangers beat Winnipeg 6-4 and Ottawa 4-1 to kick off this season, but his most positive recent hockey experiences still come from international competition.
Asked for his favourite moment from Denmark’s first-ever hosting of the Worlds, Zibanejad emphasized the bottom line: “Winning the whole thing. Winning the gold was obviously amazing. From start to finish, the group we had, playing with those players. We have a lot of great Swedish players in the league. You play against them almost every night, so to get to be on the same side for once was cool. Representing your country, trying to do it together, and going unbeaten to the championship, it was nice.”
In IIHF play, Zibanejad might be a good luck charm for Sweden. The Djurgarden-trained talent scored the dramatic 1-0 overtime winner against Russia’s Andrei Makarov in the 2012 World Junior final in Calgary as well. That gave the Swedes their first and only U20 title since 1981.
In Copenhagen, when Zibanejad suited up on coach Rikard Gronborg’s top line with Rickard Rakell of the Anaheim Ducks, a two-time NHL 30-goal scorer, and Mattias Janmark of the Dallas Stars, a Worlds first-timer whose work ethic matches his skating, the results were simply magical. Rakell led Sweden in points (6-8-14), while Zibanejad (6-5-11) and Janmark (4-6-10) were next in line.
What made them so good together?
“We’d played together a little bit before,” said Zibanejad, who scored Sweden’s second goal in the 3-2 gold medal shootout victory over Switzerland. “We know each other. We’re three different types of players and it just worked well right away. I thought we had a good understanding and communication on the bench, too. It was a fun line to play with.”
Last season, after longtime Rangers star Mats Zuccarello was dealt to Dallas on 23 February, Zibanejad enjoyed building his chemistry with Russia’s Vladislav Namestnikov and the Czech Republic’s Filip Chytil. He scored his 300th career NHL point on 9 March in a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
New York coach David Quinn’s group of forwards has been significantly upgraded this year, and that should further benefit Zibanejad’s numbers.
Russian wizard Artemi Panarin, coming off a career-best 87-point season with Columbus, inked a seven-year, $81.5-million deal with the Rangers on 1 July. Big things are also expected from rookie Vitali Kravtsov, making the jump from the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk to the NHL this season after the Rangers drafted him ninth overall in 2018. And of course, Kaapo Kakko – taken second after Jack Hughes went first overall to New Jersey in June – is expected to vie for the Calder Memorial Trophy after becoming the youngest player ever to win U18, World Junior, and World Championship gold with Finland.
Zibanejad, who frequently logged more than 20 minutes per game last year, is becoming the player the Ottawa Senators originally wanted. The Sens drafted him sixth overall in 2011, after the New York Islanders grabbed Ryan Strome at #5 and before the Winnipeg Jets took Mark Scheifele at #7.
He’s also showing great vision off the ice. The Swedish women’s national team was relegated to Division I after placing ninth at the Women’s Worlds in Espoo, Finland in April. As they work to rebuild their program, Zibanejad announced that his new restaurant in Sweden, Brodernas, would donate 10 kronor to Swedish women’s hockey for each hamburger sold. Additionally, he spoke up in favour of the Damkronorna’s bid to get more support from the Swedish Ice Hockey Association.
If Gronborg ever lands an NHL coaching job, as has long been rumored, Zibanejad would also support that move. Gronborg is a fellow Huddinge native, and the two have always enjoyed a good rapport.
The 50-year-old Gronborg, who has a Master’s degree in management and leadership from the University of Wisconsin, has coached Sweden at every level, including the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. The 2019 Worlds in Slovakia (Bratislava and Kosice) marked his swan song behind the bench, and now he’s the new head coach of ZSC Lions Zurich, who will quest for their tenth Swiss championship of all time this year.
“I had him earlier with the U18 team [en route to silver in 2011] and I liked him,” Zibanejad recalled. “He’s very direct. He’s a good communicator. I like the system he plays. He’s a great coach and he’s going to be for a very long time.”
Similarly, Zibanejad, whose contract runs through 2022, could well star on Broadway for a “very long time.” And that should have Rangers fans singing a happy song.
The 26-year-old New York Rangers centre, who doubles as a DJ in his spare time, released two catchy electronic music singles in 2017. “Can’t Go Back Home” was a little bit off-base, as he was right next door to his native Sweden when he helped Tre Kronor win its second straight IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Copenhagen in 2018.
However, “Forever” was bang-on. The memory of capturing that world titles along with NHL stars like Filip Forsberg, John Klingberg and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will last a lifetime for Zibanejad.
Right now, Zibanejad is excited about helping the Rangers regain their status as a playoff contender. Even though the 183-cm, 103-kg veteran posted a career-high 30 goals and 44 assists last season, his club missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Yes, he racked up eight points to help the Rangers beat Winnipeg 6-4 and Ottawa 4-1 to kick off this season, but his most positive recent hockey experiences still come from international competition.
Asked for his favourite moment from Denmark’s first-ever hosting of the Worlds, Zibanejad emphasized the bottom line: “Winning the whole thing. Winning the gold was obviously amazing. From start to finish, the group we had, playing with those players. We have a lot of great Swedish players in the league. You play against them almost every night, so to get to be on the same side for once was cool. Representing your country, trying to do it together, and going unbeaten to the championship, it was nice.”
In IIHF play, Zibanejad might be a good luck charm for Sweden. The Djurgarden-trained talent scored the dramatic 1-0 overtime winner against Russia’s Andrei Makarov in the 2012 World Junior final in Calgary as well. That gave the Swedes their first and only U20 title since 1981.
In Copenhagen, when Zibanejad suited up on coach Rikard Gronborg’s top line with Rickard Rakell of the Anaheim Ducks, a two-time NHL 30-goal scorer, and Mattias Janmark of the Dallas Stars, a Worlds first-timer whose work ethic matches his skating, the results were simply magical. Rakell led Sweden in points (6-8-14), while Zibanejad (6-5-11) and Janmark (4-6-10) were next in line.
What made them so good together?
“We’d played together a little bit before,” said Zibanejad, who scored Sweden’s second goal in the 3-2 gold medal shootout victory over Switzerland. “We know each other. We’re three different types of players and it just worked well right away. I thought we had a good understanding and communication on the bench, too. It was a fun line to play with.”
Last season, after longtime Rangers star Mats Zuccarello was dealt to Dallas on 23 February, Zibanejad enjoyed building his chemistry with Russia’s Vladislav Namestnikov and the Czech Republic’s Filip Chytil. He scored his 300th career NHL point on 9 March in a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
New York coach David Quinn’s group of forwards has been significantly upgraded this year, and that should further benefit Zibanejad’s numbers.
Russian wizard Artemi Panarin, coming off a career-best 87-point season with Columbus, inked a seven-year, $81.5-million deal with the Rangers on 1 July. Big things are also expected from rookie Vitali Kravtsov, making the jump from the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk to the NHL this season after the Rangers drafted him ninth overall in 2018. And of course, Kaapo Kakko – taken second after Jack Hughes went first overall to New Jersey in June – is expected to vie for the Calder Memorial Trophy after becoming the youngest player ever to win U18, World Junior, and World Championship gold with Finland.
Zibanejad, who frequently logged more than 20 minutes per game last year, is becoming the player the Ottawa Senators originally wanted. The Sens drafted him sixth overall in 2011, after the New York Islanders grabbed Ryan Strome at #5 and before the Winnipeg Jets took Mark Scheifele at #7.
He’s also showing great vision off the ice. The Swedish women’s national team was relegated to Division I after placing ninth at the Women’s Worlds in Espoo, Finland in April. As they work to rebuild their program, Zibanejad announced that his new restaurant in Sweden, Brodernas, would donate 10 kronor to Swedish women’s hockey for each hamburger sold. Additionally, he spoke up in favour of the Damkronorna’s bid to get more support from the Swedish Ice Hockey Association.
If Gronborg ever lands an NHL coaching job, as has long been rumored, Zibanejad would also support that move. Gronborg is a fellow Huddinge native, and the two have always enjoyed a good rapport.
The 50-year-old Gronborg, who has a Master’s degree in management and leadership from the University of Wisconsin, has coached Sweden at every level, including the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. The 2019 Worlds in Slovakia (Bratislava and Kosice) marked his swan song behind the bench, and now he’s the new head coach of ZSC Lions Zurich, who will quest for their tenth Swiss championship of all time this year.
“I had him earlier with the U18 team [en route to silver in 2011] and I liked him,” Zibanejad recalled. “He’s very direct. He’s a good communicator. I like the system he plays. He’s a great coach and he’s going to be for a very long time.”
Similarly, Zibanejad, whose contract runs through 2022, could well star on Broadway for a “very long time.” And that should have Rangers fans singing a happy song.