The 2024–25 campaign was a disappointing one for the New York Rangers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Virtually the entire team underperformed, and there were plenty of players within the organization who weren't too happy with their situation. Among the most disappointing performers throughout the campaign was veteran forward Mika Zibanejad who had one of his worst seasons since joining the Rangers in 2016.
When asked about his future with the organization and whether his time in New York could potentially come to an end this offseason, Zibanejad simply deferred to his contract.
"I know what my contract says. ... Both parties agreed to it, and like I said, I think I’ve earned it. Until it's time to adjust it, I have no plans of going [anywhere]. I've invested a lot of years here," Zibanejad said, via the New York Post.
Zibanejad is in just the third year of his current contract; an eight-year, $68 million deal that pays him $8.5 million annually. His deal is not due to expire until after the 2029–30 season, at which point he'll be 37 years old.
Zibanejad is just two seasons removed from setting a career high in points, when he registered 91 points and 39 goals. This year, he recorded just 59 points and had 18 goals across 81 games. The 59 points were his fewest in a year since 2017–18 (excluding the shortened 2020–21 campaign). Prior to this season, he'd not scored fewer than 24 goals in a single season since 2016–17.
He, along with many of his teammates, will be hoping to bounce back in 2025–26, but he made clear that he's committed to playing out his contract with the Rangers and it doesn't appear he has any intention of lifting his full no-movement clause.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mika Zibanejad Defers to His Contract When Addressing Future With Rangers.
