Needless to say, the 2025-26 NHL season won’t be fondly remembered in the Big Apple. However, there might be a silver lining—if the New York Rangers want to see one. That might lie on Mika Zibanejad’s production, as the veteran center bounced back from a rough campaign and led the team in scoring.
Zibanejad’s effort didn’t go unnoticed in Manhattan—not by his teammates, nor by the media around the Blueshirts. As a result, Zibanejad was named the team’s best player of the 2025-26 NHL campaign. It may not feel like much after New York fell short of the 80-point mark on the season, but it’s still a relevant honor for Zibanejad, who has been through a lot in recent years.
“Mika Zibanejad is this year’s team MVP (media voted) and named the 2026 Players’ Player, as voted on by his fellow teammates,” via Mollie Walker of New York Post. The news came shortly after captain J.T. Miller salvaged his individual performance despite the Rangers’ rough season. Zibanejad didn’t have to publicly make his case for his production because it was already impossible to miss.
Zibanejad’s stats in 2025-26
Coming off a 62-point season (20 goals and 42 assists) in 2024-25, when the Rangers missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs one year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, Zibanejad was in the eye of the storm in Manhattan. Still, he kept his cool and bounced back in 2025-26.
Mika Zibanejad at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida.
With Artemi Panarin out of the picture and Adam Fox missing a large chunk of the season, Zibanejad was the main character. He was the veteran lighthouse for a team filled with several players still wet behind the ears. He led by example and—with one game left on the schedule—has put up 76 points (33 goals and 43 assists) in 80 games.
His 33-goal tally is the third-highest of his career in a single season. Even in one of the worst campaigns in Rangers history, the Swedish star managed to put up solid numbers.
Zibanejad was always available for NY Rangers
Zibanejad also stayed healthy all season long, proving his durability once more. Since the 2020-21 campaign (shortened to 56 games), Zibanejad has only missed three games. This season, his lone absence was a healthy scratch due to him being late to a team meeting.
SurveyAside from Zibanejad, who was the best player on the NY Rangers this season?
Aside from Zibanejad, who was the best player on the NY Rangers this season?
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