NHL Lookback: The Mika Zibanejad-Derick Brassard Trade

BY Nate Moser

The New York Rangers have made some significant trades in their organization’s history. The most famous one they made no doubt is getting Mark Messier from the Edmonton Oilers back in October 1991. There is also the Scott Gomez trade with the Montreal Canadiens back in June 2009 that led to New York acquiring defenseman and future captain Ryan McDonagh. Watching the Rangers, though, right now in the 2024 playoffs; I want to talk about the Mika Zibanejad-Derick Brassard trade that occurred between the Rangers and Ottawa Senators.

Mika Zibanejad was drafted by Ottawa sixth overall during the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He played in parts of five seasons with the Senators, and he put up decent numbers for the franchise. His regular-season stats with Ottawa are the following:

• 2011-12: zero goals and one assist for one point in nine games
• 2012-13: seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 42 games
• 2013-14: 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points in 69 games
• 2014-15: 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points in 80 games
• 2015-16: 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 81 games

Additionally, in the postseason, Zibanejad chalked up the following stats for the organization in the playoffs:

• 2013: one goal and three assists for four points in 10 games
• 2015: one goal and three assists for four points in six games

Zibanejad learned from some solid NHL teammates while he was developing his game. The lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign saw Zibanejad on a Senators roster along with veterans Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Sergei Gonchar. That is some solid leadership to learn from.

Fast forward a few years, and Zibanejad was a victim of change by being dealt to the Rangers. The transaction took place on July 18, 2016. The full trade was Zibanejad and a second-round pick in 2018 for forward Derick Brassard and a seventh round pick in 2018. It appears that the Senators did not realize the future steps Zibanejad would make to his game, because that move aged poorly looking back. Zibanejad has become one of the best players in this era of Rangers hockey. His point production per season amped up, and has developed impressive chemistry with teammates like Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin. Since being traded to New York, these are the stats Zibanejad has produced:

• 2016-17: 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 56 games
• 2017-18: 27 goals and 20 assists for 47 points in 72 games
• 2018-19: 30 goals and 44 assists for 74 points in 82 games
• 2019-20: 41 goals and 34 assists for 75 points in 57 games
• 2020-21: 24 goals and 26 assists for 50 points in 56 games
• 2021-22: 29 goals and 52 assists for 81 points in 81 games
• 2022-23: 39 goals and 52 assists for 91 points in 82 games
• 2023-24: 26 goals and 46 assists for 72 points in 81 games

This past regular season, Zibanejad’s 72 points was fifth on the Rangers. Panarin (120 points), Vincent Trocheck (77), Kreider (75), and Adam Fox (73) were the players who had more. The Blueshirts have such a stacked lineup, but Zibanejad has proven time and time again that he is such a skilled forward in his own right. As this article is being written, he is showing off his talents in the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes. He finished Game 2 of the semifinals having recorded three goals and eight assists for 11 points in six playoff games. He leads the Rangers in postseason points, with Trocheck just behind him by a point himself (five goals and five assists for 10 points in six games).

Zibanejad is looking incredible out on the ice. If the Senators could turn back time, they would probably undo that trade with the Rangers and keep him around. He could’ve hit his stride wearing the Senators sweater, and become a household name alongside Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone (who also has broken out further since going to the Vegas Golden Knights). The Rangers are one of the deepest teams in the Eastern Conference, and that Zibanejad trade is a big reason why that is the case. It will never top the Messier trade with the Oilers, but Zibanejad may be able to retire a Blueshirt with a ring on his finger if everything continues to go well. Time will tell.