[ad_1]
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
It might not be Thanksgiving in America, but the New York Rangers are definitely in the spirit of giving.
The club announced on Sunday morning that it had accepted striker Mika Zibanejad’s terms for an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $ 8.25 million.
Details of the deal, such as its salary structure or trade protection, have yet to be determined.
Signing a player in his late 30s with an eight-year contract will always be a risk, no matter how good that player is in the present. But Zibanejad seems more likely than most to remain valuable for most of this term.
The 28-year-old is a true frontline center in a league that is lacking in abundance, having racked up nearly 50 points in 56 games last season while recording more than 20 minutes a night as New York’s top player. . -used forward.
Playing in all situations, Zibanejad is an invaluable cog in Rangers’ emerging offense, scoring an impressive 10 power-play goals in 2021 to complete 12 equally admirable even-matched goals and 20 assists.
For a Rangers team that is about to explode their window of contention, having Zibanejad on board for nearly the next decade is the best possible outcome. While the tenure may be a bit longer than GM Chris Drury might have wished, Zibanejad is a versatile front-line striker playing one of the sport’s most coveted positions who has scored at a rate of 40 goals. over the past three seasons and can help both on the power play and on the penalty kill.
If he can maintain that level of play for the next five years at $ 8.25 million, that’s good value.
These are the risks GMs must take in the world of NHL flat caps. The Rangers are definitely making one here. But Zibanejad is a better bet than most at rewarding them.
[ad_2]
Source link