BREAKING: NY RANGERS SIGN MIKA ZIBANEJAD TO LONG-TERM DEAL

BREAKING: NY RANGERS SIGN MIKA ZIBANEJAD TO LONG-TERM DEAL

By: Matthew Blittner


Finally! New York Rangers fans, you can exhale. Mika Zibanejad has been signed.

Just hours before Mika and the Rangers were due to go before the arbitration panel, the two sides agreed to a long-term contract. 

Mika received a five-year/$26.75 million contract ($5.35 Million AAV).

This is significant because as late as yesterday afternoon, word was that Zib wanted no part of a long-term deal, and would prefer to go to arbitration this year and next, before becoming an unrestricted free agent. 

This deal, which gives the Rangers the long-term answer that they were hoping for, is also a win for Mika as he received exactly what he wanted in average annual value.

Now, is Zibanejad worth this type of contract? The short answer is not currently. But this contract is about the present as much as it is the future.

The Rangers are banking on Mika taking the next step in his development, becoming an all-star front line centre. 

Overall, this contract was a compromise for both sides. Mika got his dollars, while the Blueshirts got their term length.

The Rangers now have their four centers lined up: Zibanejad, Kevin Hayes, JT Miller, and David Desharnais. This allows the Blueshirts to let first-round draft picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil develop in the minors, rather than get rushed to the big leagues.

Welcome back Mika, and thanks for staying.

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