After a chaotic production last season, Mika Zibanejad has seemingly found his mojo back in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. However, the New York Rangers have been anything but consistent under Mike Sullivan’s guidance, and the Swedish forward can’t overlook the forest for the tree.
Zibanejad had some ground to cover after a shaky 2024-25 season. Needless to say, he has bounced back so far in the 2025-26 campaign, though the Rangers have been just as abysmal—or even worse. For Zibanejad, his strong production (12 G, 17 A, 29 P) is still not enough to see the glass half full. The team comes first, and it’s no secret Sullivan’s New York has been coming in last night in and night out.
Following yet another embarrassing shutout loss to their despised enemies from Long Island, the New York Islanders, Zibanejad took to the media with a blunt statement, hoping to deliver a wake-up call for Sullivan and company in what’s been a troubling NHL season.
“It’s hard to be happy or think about your own game that much when you don’t win and you’re not in the position that you want to be in as a team,” Zibanejad admitted in dialogue with The New York Post.
Not a merry Christmas in New York City
For a town that prides itself on being at its best around the holidays, the Rangers have certainly done New York City dirty with their recent outings. Needless to say, the Broadway Blueshirts have made Santa’s naughty list this year and were treated to a blunt reminder when they woke up to find coal in their stockings.
The Rangers’ 7–3 win over the Washington Capitals right before the Christmas break might have fooled some, but the very next outing replayed a tune fans in New York now know by heart. A 2–0 shutout loss to the Islanders means the Blueshirts are now 0–2–0 against their crosstown rivals and down by a combined score of 0–7.
Heading south for the Winter Classic
The Rangers must turn the tide fast before the new year, as they will be heading down to South Florida, where an atypical Winter Classic showdown in Little Havana awaits against the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, who could have Matthew Tkachuk back in the lineup. If New York touches down in Miami with its current state of mind, the humidity won’t be the only thing causing fans to sweat bullets.