The future of Mika Zibanejad with the New York Rangers may be more complicated than originally thought.
According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, there’s a chance that Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury has already worked it out with Zibanejad that moving on would be best.
This report comes shortly after the Rangers traded Zibanejad’s longtime teammate and good friend Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks.
Zibanejad is under contract until the summer of 2030 and has a full no-move clause in his contract, so trading him would require a process of communication between Rangers management and Zibanejad.
The two sides would have to work together in order to find a team that Zibanejad is willing to play for.
Another obstacle is Zibanejad’s current contract from a financial standpoint. He’s set to make $8.5 million per year for the next four seasons.
At 31-years-old, moving off of his contract won’t exactly be an easy task for the Rangers unless they are willing to retain some of his salary, something the team has been unwilling to do with other players including Barclay Goodrow, Jacob Trouba, and Kreider.
Mika Zibanejad Posts Emotional Message About Chris Kreider In Aftermath Of Trade
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When addressing the possibility of being traded a couple of months ago, Zibanejad made clear that his no-move clause allows him to control his own destiny and he intends to remain a Ranger.
“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.
It’s unclear if Zibanejad’s mindset has shifted, especially after the Kreider trade and Drury’s aggressive mindset heading into the offseason to make changes to the roster.
Even with a no-move clause, Zibanejad still is the subject of trade rumors, which should raise some eyebrows and could certainly mean something significant.