Rangers ink Zibanejad to 8-year, $68M extension
The Rangers have made the long-term commitment to a No. 1 center — and he’s already in-house.
Mika Zibanejad inked an eight-year extension at $8.5 million per year — $68 million — to remain with the Blueshirts through 2030, The Post’s Larry Brooks first reported before the team confirmed with an official announcement Sunday.
“Since joining the team in 2016, Mika has emerged as one of the premier players in the NHL,” general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. “In addition to being a great player on the ice, Mika is an exemplary person off of the ice. We are fortunate to have him as part of our Rangers organization and are excited that he will continue his career in New York.”
The deal, which will keep Zibanejad in a Rangers sweater until he is 36, is mostly beneficial for both parties. By giving Zibanejad an average annual value below $9 million, the Rangers have a bit of flexibility with the cap, especially with impending paydays for Norris Trophy-winner Adam Fox and other key players.
Eight years is a bit longer than the Rangers were hoping to give. But considering Zibanejad likely would’ve commanded around $10 million on the open market if he became an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, the Rangers certainly got a fair price for No. 93.
“I don’t know if words will ever be enough to describe how I’m feeling right now,” Zibanejad wrote in an Instagram post. “The feeling of putting on the New York Rangers jersey is the best honour and I can’t believe I will get a chance to do that for another 8 years. I’m extremely happy, humbled and motivated for what’s ahead.”
The Rangers have long been linked to the Sabres’ Jack Eichel, but this new deal for Zibanejad makes it less likely for Drury and Co. to continue pursuing the disgruntled star center. Unless Buffalo agrees to eat 40 or 50 percent of Eichel’s $10 million annual cap charge — which is not going to happen — the math wouldn’t allow the Rangers to have both Eichel and Zibanejad.
It’s been an eventful month for Zibanejad, who signed this massive extension just days after he was one of the first three players named to Sweden’s men’s hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Zibanejad, who scored the gold medal-winning overtime goal for Sweden against Russia in the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, will be competing in his first Olympics.
Zibanejad, 28, came to New York in a trade from the Senators in July 2016. The Rangers sent Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventhround pick to Ottawa in exchange for Zibanejad and a 2018 second-rounder. Since then, Zibanejad has been an integral part of the Rangers’ core.
Having been among the Rangers’ top-two point producers in each of the last four seasons, Zibanejad has proven to be a highly skilled No. 1 center. Despite offensive struggles in 2020-21 that were brought on by a bout with COVID-19 during training camp, Zibanejad still managed to post a 50-point season with 24 goals.
Heading into this season, Zibanejad has tallied 136 goals and 147 assists in 323 games with the Rangers. He has also appeared in 31 postseason games over his NHL career with the Rangers and Senators, registering five goals and 14 assists.
Oh, and if all good things come in threes, Zibanejad just may be in line for the Rangers captaincy to go with his new deal and Olympic appearance.