Mika Zibanejad’s No. 93 Likely to Be Retired By Rangers After He Retires

One player on the New York Rangers who had a great season despite the lack of overall team success was Mika Zibanejad. After coming off two poor seasons by his standards, he bounced back in a huge way this season and proved he can still be a top-line center for this team. With him having such a great season, it’s fair to look back on just how good a Ranger he has been in his career. Despite not bringing a Stanley Cup back to New York yet, Zibanejad has proven to be one of the top Rangers forwards of all-time. When his career is over, his No. 93 will likely be hanging from the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

The Longevity of His Rangers’ Tenure

Zibanejad was acquired via trade with the Ottawa Senators prior to the 2016-17 season. This upcoming season will be his 14th overall season in the NHL and his 11th with the Rangers. With Chris Kreider being traded last offseason, he became the longest tenured player on the team, and it’s not even close. Even with trade rumors surrounding him the past few seasons, he has made it clear that he loves being in New York and playing for the Rangers, and he has the choice of whether he wants to go or not, thanks to a clause in his contract. He has a full no-move clause in his deal, which means even if the Rangers wanted to move him, he would have to approve any trade they bring to him.

With still four more years left on his contract, and with it looking like he has no desire to leave New York, Zibanejad will have played 14 seasons with the Rangers if he stays on the team through the duration of his contract. That would put him behind Henrik Lundqvist for the seventh-most seasons played as a Ranger. All but one player in the top five of that list has their number hanging inside MSG. With how long he has been and will likely be on the team, and with the way he has played during his time with the Rangers, Zibanejad has put himself in a position where his number being retired is a strong possibility.

Top Five or Ten on Many Franchise Lists

With Zibanejad playing so long with the Rangers and being productive the majority of his tenure, he has worked his way into the top ten and even the top five of many franchise record lists. He has scored 284 goals as a Ranger, which puts him fourth all-time, and if he can score 52 goals over the next few seasons, he could be as high as second. The record is 406 goals, so if Zibanejad can score at least 30 or more a season until the end of his contract, he could see himself at the top of that list. He has recorded 667 points during his time in New York, which is good for seventh all-time in franchise history.

Zibanejad set a franchise record of his own this season, as he now has scored the most power-play goals in franchise history, scoring 119, three better than the previous record. He sits eighth all-time with 383 assists, and he has also scored the most overtime goals with eight and has the most overtime points with 17. He also tied the record for most hat tricks this season with nine total. Zibanejad has had his ups and downs over the years, but he is one of the most productive players in franchise history, and if he can keep up this pace, he could see himself even higher on these lists when he retires.

Zibanejad Is the Best Rangers Center Since Mark Messier

When Mark Messier retired in 2004, the Rangers needed to go out and find someone to take his place as the top center on the team. Many names were brought in over the years, but none of them could ever truly stick. Players like Michael Nylander, Brad Richards, Derek Stepan, and Derrick Brassard all had their time there, and while they were good players, they could never match up against the other top centers in the league. Brassard was the player traded to the Senators for Zibanejad, and the hope was that the 23-year-old Zibanejad could turn into a top-line center in the future, and that is exactly what happened.

Over his tenure with the Rangers, Zibanejad grew and developed into the best center this team has had since Messier. While this is not comparing both players side by side, Zibanejad became the player the team needed him to be and has been their most consistent and most productive center of the last 26 years.

Zibanejad has not led the Rangers to a Stanley Cup like Messier did, but he’s been a key player in the playoffs for the team, especially during their run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022, when he scored 10 goals and recorded 24 points in 20 games. While other centers have had their big moments over the years, no center has been as impactful since the retirement of Messier as Zibanejad has been for the Rangers.

While fans can look at the current era of Rangers hockey and say no one really deserved to have their number retired besides Lundqvist, Zibanejad is the next closest player who has an argument as to why he should get his number retired. He is going to be one of the longest tenured Rangers of all-time, will be near or on top of many franchise lists, and he has been one of their best players over the last 26 years. By the time his career is over, Zibanejad is going to be one of the top Rangers players of all-time, and if he is considered a franchise great, his No. 93 should be hanging in the rafters of MSG with the other all-time greats.