I believe the Rangers have no intention of replacing Mika Zibanejad with Jack Eichel next season. It is possible that they might add Eichel, whose relationship with the Sabers represents a case study of next-level dysfunction, but no one should make that assumption.
The Blueshirts must import an experienced leader with a track record of success on the NHL team. There was a reason, former GM Neil Smith said back in the day, that he traded for the Oilers and not the Sharks. Not only did a player on the roster win the Stanley Cup, Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba (once as the Jets) are the only people who have also played in the conference finals.
Eichel, who has come away from a herniated disc and other mixed illnesses, has never played a playoff game in his six years in the league. Is the captain of the 24-year-old team important? Of course, but he neither checks the box about veteran leadership nor joins a successful team.
The Rangers also need a player for their top six who will set a physical tone and force the opposition to get on the backfoot. Will Euchel do this?
No one would have more insight on Euchel than Blueshirts decider Chris Drury, who was represented by the same agent during his career as Eichel. The Rangers will not deal with any mystery regarding Eichel.
The secret is how the Rangers will be able to adjust Eichel’s $ 10 million cap to hit a contract that runs between 2025-26 with a zybanzade extension that is certainly not less than $ 8 million per dollar Will happen?
How close to a championship would the Rangers be if they had Eichel and Zibanejad at their two top centers with hypothetical annual spending of $ 18 million?
When done right, Ziebenzad is a goal scoring machine. He was just down the stretch this year, recording 17 goals in his final 25 games and hitting a 22.3 shooting percentage on a 21.3 shooting percentage with 24 goals in his last 25 games, while also thundering into the track last year. A full season of health, support and confidence and, mark it down, Jibanejad will score 50.
He is the deadly weapon of the Rangers and the team would be insane to not have him in their favor.
It is a question of how much and how long the extension is for Zibnazad, who has one year left on his contract and is headed for unrestricted free agency. It is a question of whether you believe that Jibenzad needs to be the top six center in the Stable Cup champion team.
Well, no, it doesn’t matter at all what you believe, only what Drury and the assistant front office staff believe about Jibenzad, who finally got clean on Monday, while a week before training camp. How much damage did COVID-19 cause. His first half-season.
“It was a unique situation, obviously, after being COVID and having a practice before the season started,” No. 93 said on the club’s break day. “I think I tried to tell myself that I was feeling well and I was feeling fine, but it wasn’t easy.”
“I really didn’t feel up to speed after that and it took me a while to get, kind of, physically and mentally to get back, and excuse me anyway, or whatever, and Nothing was needed. Apart from this, I did not want to tell myself that I should give myself an excuse.
“That’s why I didn’t talk about it, because people used to ask me about it.”
Jibinazad has never retreated from Elibis. He has been an upright man on Broadway for five years. I think I wish he had sat outside until he had regained his strength instead of appearing as a fixture for several nights, but it was not for me to deal with second-guessing of a personal health issue. is. He changed the year in his own way, he said, through the support of his teammates, his fiancée, family and friends.
“I was obviously gaining confidence in the way the season ended and whatever happened in the first six weeks, I’m glad that I bounced back, got through it and been able to do it with me Was able to, ”Sved said. “I don’t think I’m going to have a situation like the start of this season.”
Zibenzad is going to be 29 years old in the next round of his contract. The Rangers will likely want to hold the line in a five-year term. If it is not acceptable for Jibanejad, if he demands the same seven years, the club awarded Kreider of equal age last year, it will probably not fly.
There is mutual interest in taking the relationship forward. It will be on both sides to do the work. And then it will be up to the Rangers to consolidate the top of the depth chart so that Jibanezad can succeed.
Will that facilitate the acquisition of Eichel? I doubt very much what is the way to go.
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