PuckSleuth
Mika Zibanejad93

New York Rangers · Center · Shoots R

Mika Zibanejad

Age 33 · 6'2" · 207 lb · Born in Stockholm, SWE

Cap hit

$8.5M

8.2% of $104M cap

Term

4 yrs

Through 2029-30, then UFA

Clause

NMC

Surplus value

+$422K

vs. $8.922M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

4

Goals

1

16.7% shooting

Assists

2

0 primary

Points

3

0.75 per game

TOI/GP

20:49

PP 3:20 · PK 1:25

Plus/minus

+1

Hits

5

Blocks 4

PIM

0

Game Score

+0.85

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 4
vs UTA · W 4-2
0100124:324:500:469-710020+1+0.84
Oct 2
@ DET · W 2-0
0011021:215:011:2810-750100+0.14
Oct 1
vs TBL · W 5-1
1132318:531:413:148-42520+1+2.10
Sep 29
@ BOS · L 3-0
0022018:311:470:129-77512-1+0.33
Apr 15
@ TBL · W 4-2
1130021:422:513:0211-54320+1+1.99

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,168 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%49.2%

50th percentile

Relative xGF%+2.3

72nd percentile

HDCF%48.3%

45th percentile

CF%49.1%

48th percentile

Relative CF%+0.5

57th percentile

FF%48.6%

42nd percentile

GF%49.5%

50th percentile

CF/6056.2

53rd percentile

CA/6058.3

44th percentile

ixG/601.36

80th percentile

Goals above expected+7.5

95th percentile

IPP77.1%

88th percentile

PDO100.2

58th percentile

OZS%58.3%

69th percentile

Faceoff %52.5%

574 won · 520 lost (all strengths)

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleOffensive playmaker center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Zibanejad is a high-volume shooter and elite passer who creates chances at an impressive rate, though he struggles to generate scoring opportunities through transition play and can be sloppy with the puck in tight situations. His strong even-strength control masks a player who is less physical, less defensively engaged, and less explosive than many peers.

High-volume shooterElite passerTransition liability
Shooting volume
85
Playmaking
88
Zone entries(est.)
27
Forechecking
39
Physicality
43
Defensive impact
44
Puck management
16
Speed
58

Where he shoots from

Slot 41% · Mid-range 36% · Perimeter 23%(338 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite playmaking (88th percentile) fuels his 44 assists and consistent offensive production
  • Prolific shooting volume (85th percentile) with 338 unblocked shots keeps opponents on their heels
  • Solid even-strength goal share (49.2%) shows he drives play at five-on-five despite limitations

Watch-outs

  • Rush chances well below average (27th percentile) limits fast-break opportunities and transition scoring
  • Puck management is a real weakness (16th percentile), creating turnovers that hurt his team
  • Forechecking effort (39th percentile) and defensive impact (44th percentile) lag behind offensive contributions

Similar style: Macklin Celebrini (SJS), J.T. Miller (NYR)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIM
2008-09Swe-U18AIK U1811224—2
2009-10Swe-U18Djurgarden U1828142236—18
2009-10Swe-Jr.Djurgarden Jr.14224—4
2009-10 (playoffs)Swe-U18Djurgarden U185549—4
2010-11Swe-U18Djurgarden U182325—2
2010-11Swe-Jr.Djurgarden Jr.2712921—12
2010-11SwedenDjurgarden26549—2
2010-11WJ18-ASweden6448+82
2010-11 (playoffs)Swe-Jr.Djurgarden Jr.3123—0
2010-11 (playoffs)SwedenDjurgarden7112—2
2011-12NHLOttawa Senators9011-32
2011-12SwedenDjurgarden265813—4
2011-12Swe-Jr.Djurgarden Jr.1000—2
2011-12Sweden-QDjurgarden10426—2
2011-12WJC-ASweden6415+32
2011-12 (playoffs)SHLDjurgårdens IF10426+32
2012-13NHLOttawa Senators4271320+96
2012-13AHLBinghamton234711+310
2012-13 (playoffs)NHLOttawa Senators10134-30
2013-14NHLOttawa Senators69161733-1518
2013-14AHLBinghamton6257+12
2014-15NHLOttawa Senators80202646020
2014-15 (playoffs)NHLOttawa Senators613400
2015-16NHLOttawa Senators81213051-218
2016-17NHLNew York Rangers56142337+916
2016-17 (playoffs)NHLNew York Rangers12279+40
2017-18NHLNew York Rangers72272047-2314
2017-18WCSweden106511+100
2017-18EHTSweden3101+10
2018-19NHLNew York Rangers82304474-1247
2019-20NHLNew York Rangers57413475+914
2019-20 (playoffs)NHLNew York Rangers3112-10
2020-21NHLNew York Rangers56242650+218
2021-22NHLNew York Rangers81295281+3012
2021-22 (playoffs)NHLNew York Rangers2010142404
2022-23NHLNew York Rangers82395291+2520
2022-23 (playoffs)NHLNew York Rangers7134-16
2023-24NHLNew York Rangers81264672+1530
2023-24 (playoffs)NHLNew York Rangers1631316+12
2024-25NHLNew York Rangers82204262-2222
2024-25WCSweden9538+30
2024-25EHTSweden2224+10
2024-254 NationsSweden210100
2025-26NHLNew York Rangers81344478-2014
2025-26OGSweden5336+32
2026-27NHLNew York Rangers4123+10

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.95 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.98 per game

2025-26 · 81 GP

Season total +79.6, or +0.98 per game.

Scoring
+61.8
Shooting
+16.1
5-on-5 goals
-0.1
Defense
+0.3
Penalty kill
-0.1
Physical play
+4.6
Puck battles
-3.9
Penalties
+0.4
Faceoffs
+0.5

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
19.8 mph
21st pct
20+ mph bursts
0
Hardest shot
73.3 mph
59th pct
Distance
2.9 mi
OZ time
42.0%
52nd pct
DZ time
37.1%

Usage

Last game: vs UTA, Oct 4

Line 1 with Alexis Lafrenière and Gabe Perreault (13:43 together at 5-on-5) · PP1

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 33: 69% of peak

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 33, forwards typically produce 69% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 36, when the typical level is 49%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

4 seasons left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27NYR$8.5M8.2%
2027-28NYR$8.5M7.5%
2028-29NYR$8.5M—
2029-30NYR$8.5M—

UFA after 2029-30. NMC. $34M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).