I’ve never seen a player look like he does last March to what he looks like now. If it was drugs obviously the team would know so it’s very unlikely. It has to be injury or his reaction to covid must be severe he just doesn’t look good at all. His point totals are completely earned. He isn’t snake bitten. He’s not getting chances we are used to seeing him get.
I don't think it's drugs, but if it were to come out that it was, I wouldn't be totally shocked. At least it would explain the issue.
It's not like the Rangers don't have history with supplying players opioids.
That all said, I doubt that it's drugs and don't want to feed that rumor or conspiracy theory.
Bottom line is he is not 1 line Center, he is your second line.
Now how do we get 1a.
Rebuild Mode.
Uca Larry is getting ahead of himself, but Zib's fall off is no ordinary slump. Zib's dominant period represented a small portion of his overall career. It may not be realistic to expect to see it again, and he's no doubt put a lot of pressure on himself to attain something that isn't attainable.
I'm sort of anticipating an article from Larry Brooks' after the season is done exposing something, I don't have any idea what at the moment, that was going on in Zib's life that was behind this.
That's actually not the bottom line, he's been a #1C for 2 seasons now. A slump doesn't change that until it's a season long debacle.Originally Posted by Rangers
Agree. I don’t want to feed any conspiracy theories either and that wasn’t my point. It’s just that something is up. It just doesn’t make sense how far his play has fallen off. This isn’t your typical slump. This was a dominant player last year who was elite. Not one part of his game is good right now. Kevin Rooney has been better by a lot.
I have confidence that Panarin will be able to get Zibs ship righted. If Quinn keeps them together for the next 5-10 games and Zibs still having a hard time producing then it may be time to hit the panic button.
He has been 1C on Rangers team, and that’s because we don’t have anything better. he is not 1C that will win you a Stanley cup.
Rebuild Mode.
I think last year's Zibanejad absolutely is that 1C that will win you a stanley cup, just need him back.
Brooks really has nothing to talk about, does he. Zibenajad is just behind after starting the season sick, COVID is no joke. He’ll get back to his old self in due time. Yes we have no 2nd line center, the jury is still out on Chytil and that’s Gorton’s fault knowing that we needed 1 or 2 but not making any deals, signing or drafting them. That why we are where we are. But I don’t think it’s worth the cost to trade for Eichel—they want too much. If it’s me I’m waiting till next year to go after Barkov as a UFA. We are not a team that will go far is we even make the play-offs so why sacrifice the future just yet.
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Last years Zibb is 1C, i highly doubt he will ever repeat what he did last year.
Rebuild Mode.
1st
Chityl
Fox
I’d do
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I haven't seen it mentioned, but could it be that he's missing his countrymen in Lundqvist and Fast? He definitely seems somber. Even from the get go. How close was he to those guys?
Did the Rangers trade Strome? They have a 2C in Strome. Chytil is waiting to take his spot. If need be Strome fits as a 3C even at his current cost. If his cost goes up after next season? That means he's still your 2C and he has played well enough to shake Chytil off. If Zib fails, and Strome stays at the pace he's been at since last season, does it kill the Rangers to make Strome the 1C? Would only make sense to have Panarin be on your top line....
I don't think the Rangers can afford to trade the assets it would take. UNLESS Richelieu demands he only plays for the Rangers.
Jeff Skinner, Jonathon Cheechoo, David Clarkson, Brian Gionta.....sometimes a guy falls off the planet. Fro the record, I think Ziby will be fine. It’s just a prolonged tough stretch, but he’s hardly the first that performed above and beyond other years, only to fall down to earth.
If the Rangers overreact to Zibanejad's slow start bad enough to blow up the prospect pool, then there's real problems starting at the top of the organization.
The fact that Zib has fallen off the map so hard, to me, is a sign that it's temporary. Gradual declines are worrisome - not this.
The foolish thing to do would be to land Eichel for 10m a season then watch Zib bounce back in his contract year and be owed a similar amount of cash, all while decimating your system and reversing everything you've done over the last 4+ years.
obtaining Eichel only makes sense if Kreider or Trouba and their entire contracts are going wether it be to Buffalo or someone else, then there is the NMC.
wouldn't worry much about the cap if one of them were gone as it would mean Strome is gone too as he wouldn't be needed, we'd need to look for role centers at 3/4 lines who dont take penalties all the time and lose over half their faceoffs. -- still unrealistic with how many things would have to go perfectly to fit Eichel and not break the prospect pool. Where you're better off sending Buffalo a boat load of draft picks instead of prospects, but there would be questions about this years draft, do picks even hold the same value with it possible we see a draft this summer with little to no scouting?
I'd wait on anything to do with Eichel until he forces Buffalo's hand to trade him. Maybe that would reduce the price a little.
Yeah, agreed.
I still maintain the most likely reason is Covid. Like I said in the other thread, we've seen it in other sports like the NFL and Premier League. Most guys come back and are fine, some come back and are shadows of themselves for months. Usually it's down to severe respiratory issues.
You simply don't become this shit over night for no particular reason. If it isn't covid it's something else causing it. I refuse to believe this is what you'll get from Zibanejad long term.
See Trouba trade.
I don’t think the Rangers are in a good spot to give up assets at the moment. Let some of these kids develop to see what we have first before we start moving them for veterans who can help them win now.
I’d hold off another 2 seasons before I start moving guys - by then hopefully out d will be set and we’ll know where we stand with kravtsov, laf, kakko, chytil, gauthier, and all the d prospects
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