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Mika Zibanejad reveals what Rangers locker room talked about moments before facing Buffalo Sabres

Originally posted on NY Rangers Insider | By Joshua Deeds | Last updated Dec 13, 2024 10:21 AM ET

Thursday night, Mika Zibanejad and the New York Rangers proved they still have gas in the tank. They defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in Madison Square Garden and played a full 60 minutes.

While the Rangers may have come off of a victory against the Buffalo Sabres, the team still holds a 15-12-1 record.

Reilly Smith, Mika ZIbanejad, and Adam Fox were three Blueshirts who contributed a goal a piece to the victory.

Zibanejad would later sit down with NHL Network reporter Mollie Walker to discuss the team's mindset after the victory.

Zibanejad is one player who acknowledges his critical lack of production this season, scoring only 21 points (6G, 15A) in 28 games for the Rangers. Where in 2021-22 and 2022-23, we all saw him put up 90+ points per year.

For Zibanejad, the way to get out of this funk, and the bad end of Rangers criticisms, is to stack good games, starting with last night against Buffalo. He's had some good performances as of late, including Wednesday night, Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the aforementioned Canadiens game. If he is able to continue playing well game after game, he will quickly become an integral part to this team.

This stark contrast to this season has been seen by all off the ice, and the lack of effort is glaring.

Zibanejad's comments sound like someone who's ready to take the next step in production for the Rangers.

If his confidence is growing, there's hope he can improve his 5v5 play, and work on the other side of the puck for the Rangers.

It is critical for both the Rangers and Zibanejad that he finds his game again, should they have postseason hopes.

This article first appeared on NY Rangers Insider and was syndicated with permission.

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