Everyone knows that a key aspect of an NHL rebuilding process is identifying high-upside young talents and developing these players into genuine stars. Another part of the equation is determining which prime-aged players will continue an upward trajectory and still have their best years ahead of them once the rebuild transitions into Stanley Cup contention.
The Rangers began the process of dealing away familiar names for the promise of youth. Acquiring and developing prospects isn't a perfect science.
Sometimes, a youngster with all the talent in the world can fail to reach his full potential through bad habits, injuries or through struggling to mesh with his teammates. Contrarily, an under-the-radar prospect can turn heads in the right situation if he's a perfect fit for the system and strikes lasting chemistry with his teammates.
That part of the equation is the "what if" and the "what if" can only work out if veteran pieces set a tone of accountability, effort and inspiration. That's why it's so crucial for the prime-aged core players to possess the talent and drive to set the standards for up-and-coming youth to follow.
For the Rangers, there's no question that Mika Zibanejad fits the mold of what this franchise needs in a talented leader. At the moment, the 25-year-old center is playing the best hockey of his career. His determination and desperation to be the best player on the ice every night is clear. Forget that this is a 24-24-8 team that sits second from bottom in the Metropolitan Division. Zibanejad is playing as if every game is a playoff Game 7 and that's such a good example for youngsters hoping to cement their place in David Quinn's lineup.
Though the Rangers came up short in Winnipeg to the tune of a 4-3 loss, Zibanejad scored a pair of goals and logged a monster 22:53 ice time. The on-fire Swede has scored at least one goal in four of the last five games and in eight of the last 11 games. In all, Zibanejad has recorded 13 goals in the last 11 games. The last player to score 13 goals in 11 games was Jaromir Jagr during the 2005-06 season.
Quinn demands in-your-face effort, fervent retrieval of the puck and accountability on both ends of the rink from his players. It's no coincidence that he's rewarded Zibanejad with more than 20:00 of ice time in each of the last 10 games and in 13 of the last 14 contests. Leaders need to raise the bar for others to follow. Through Zibanejad, Quinn is showcasing to the rest of the group what is expected when you pull on a Rangers' sweater.
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I knew there was something different about Zibanejad when he was recovering from a gruesome broken fibula injury in his first season with the club. One month after suffering a foot-first crash into the end boards, Zibanejad appeared at a morning skate in street clothes and helping his teammates prepare by passing pucks from the bench.
I've heard coaches and broadcasters state that gameday skates are fairly meaningless. Dallas Stars' broadcaster and former goaltender Daryl Reaugh wrote a column back in 2014 discussing why teams could benefit from doing away with morning skates.
In a day and age where gameday skates could be considered an old hat tradition that could be axed, there was Zibanejad being active and involved with his teammates to the most that his injury allowed him.
Zibanejad is rightfully hailed for his two-way intelligence, shooting accuracy and skill at setting up teammates. A whatever-it-takes approach comes first in the making of a complete hockey player. Sure, some players can still produce the goods on talent alone – but Zibanejad clearly possesses a deep love of the game. He possesses the mindset and the talent to be a special player in this league.
No one is questioning these days if he's a legitimate no. 1 center. He's cleared that hurdle and is hungry for more. That kind of desire is going to pay off for the Rangers in more ways than Zibanejad's production alone. It can galvanize a young team toward setting their goals high and taking full advantage of the slim window to lift the Stanley Cup when it appears.
Follow Sean on Twitter -- @HartnettHockey
