Here's why Rangers fans must be patient with Mika Zibanejad.
* THUMBS DOWN FROM SEAN AVERY: My old buddy – and he was my pal – Sean Avery has mounted the Anti-Zibanejad Band-less Wagon. Good old Ave, has no joy when it comes to Mika's melodious play
* LIST OF OTHER 'DOWN WITH MIKAS': Blue Collar Blueshirts author Sean McCaffey is neck and neck with Avery; down on The Z man. Avery calls Mika "lazy" and suggests that Z's mind is somewhere on his summer place on the isle of Ibiza. McCaffrey's Mika boo-boo list runs past Avery's through Hell's Kitchen and into Yonkers.
* MAVEN TAKES JOB AS MIKA'S DEFENSE LAWYER: "Give Mika a break, will ya, guys. What Z flourish as soon as his Ibiza sunburn fully fades away, My Mika will come on like Gangbusters; or, perhaps Rangersbusters!
* STARS IN THE WINGS: My absolutely unerring bird dog Jesse Rubenstein warns me: "Watch D-man Hank Kampf at Cornell. He's a Dan Girardi clone." Kampf and Cornell will be at MSG's "Frozen Apple on Nov. 30.
* DEFY MANCINI LOGIC: It figures that when Ryan Lindgren returns, the extremely gifted Victor Mancini should visit Beautiful Downtown Hartford. The Maven says nix to that. If Mancini is big-league ready – which I believe that he is – Vic should get a regular turn. Let Sir Laviolette bench whoever happens to be the worst D-man-of-the-week.
* PROMISES-PROMISES: Remember when – not long ago – stealth GM Chris Drury surfaced to tell us that he'll have a contract signed by Igor Shesterkin. A couple of eager-beaver media newshawks made it seem that an Iggy deal was in the bag. tomorrow or, at worst, the day after that. Either the bag had a hole in it or Drury was auditioning for Pinocchio.
* BIGGIE GAME AHEAD: The defending champion Florida Panthers visit The World's Most Famous Arena next Thursday. If the Blueshirts expect to win their first Cup in 31 years, The Cats will be the team to beat. A good test is ahead.