Zibanejad hits his 1000th NHL game on Monday, and even in a game that's so important for the Senators, it's hard not to look back at what might have been.
For a few minutes on Monday night, the New York Rangers will suspend their season of heartache to celebrate former Ottawa Senator Mika Zibanejad.
Zibanejad, Ottawa's sixth overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft, will play in his 1000th career NHL game. Of the 999 games he's played so far, it's hard to believe that 718 of them have been played in enemy colours. He's the second player (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) from his draft year to play in 1000 games, with fellow Swede Adam Larsson to join them when he gets his silver stick in Seattle on Tuesday.
The Rangers are the worst team in the Eastern Conference and just about mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for a second straight season, so the celebration of Zibanejad's career will be a nice respite for the Blueshirts.
For Senators fans, who are far more concerned about the two points and their team's playoff chase, they'll probably spend a few moments thinking about the parallel NHL universe where Zibanejad didn't get traded from Ottawa ten years ago.
In July 2016, in one of his first acts as the club's new general manager, Pierre Dorion opted to send Zibanejad to the Rangers for a 2018 second-round pick in exchange for Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventh-round pick. Even Sens fans who were okay with the deal wondered why the Sens would also have to give up a second rounder in the deal.
The following season, the Senators went to the Conference Final and Brassard posted 11 points in 18 playoff games, while Zibanejad took a couple more seasons to get going in New York.
So all seemed right with the world in Ottawa.
But within two years, it was clear that Brassard was beginning to fade, while Zibanejad was taking flight. Brassard is three years into retirement now, save for a one-game stint in Switzerland this season, while Zibanejad is still hovering near a point per game. He leads the Rangers this season with 30 goals and 67 points in 69 games.
For a time, Dorion was credited with salvaging the trade by flipping Brassard to Pittsburgh for goalie Filip Gustavsson. But that was unravelled when he sent Gustavsson to Minnesota for one season of veteran goalie Cam Talbot, who wasn't re-signed.
Meanwhile, here are some of the things Zibanejad has been up to in New York (as per NHL.com)
- Holds franchise record for most career power play goals (122), the only active player to lead an original six franchise in power play goals.
- On Jan. 17, he tied Bill Cook for the franchise record for most hat tricks (9)
- He became the 14th player in franchise history to appear in 700 games with the Rangers.
- Recorded a five-goal game, tied for the franchise record, on Mar. 5, 2020
- Recorded a six-point period on Mar. 17, 2022, tying the NHL record
- Recorded the first-ever hat trick in the Winter Classic two months ago
But that's a deal that's ancient history now, nearly a full decade in the past. Sens fans are focused on Monday's game and getting the two points for the club's late, furious playoff chase.
But not before a quick tip of the cap to former Senator Mika Zibanejad.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.
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