Whenever a team embarks on a rebuild, it is announcing to the world that it has no interest in competing for the near future. Or if you’re the Buffalo Sabres, ever. But, in the case of the New York Rangers, the decision was made at a time in which there was still a workable core to build around. One of the key components for the team is still forward Mika Zibanejad.
While not originally a Rangers’ draft pick, the Swede is slowly proving himself as a building block for the future. The team acquired him in a swap with the Ottawa Senators for Derick Brassard, a deal that looks better every single day.