The New York Rangers are preparing to kick off the 2023-24 season following a disappointing end to their last campaign. After being bounced out of the first round of last year’s postseason, Blueshirts superstar Mika Zibanejad is looking forward to a fresh start this season.
Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad looking forward to “fresh start” this season
Zibanejad and the Blueshirts are aiming to get their season off to a hot start after being eliminated in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Among the issues that plagued last year’s Rangers team, a slow start to the season was one of them.
But this year, Zibanejad is aiming to get his squad off to a strong start and improve as the year goes on.
“Every year is a fresh start. You look forward to doing better. We want to get better as the season goes on. We want to keep pushing and try to be more. That’s how we see it.”
via Larry Brooks of The New York Post
While reflecting on his team’s untimely end to their last season, Zibanejad made it clear that he is not dwelling on their past mistakes.
“Mistakes are going to happen,” Zibanejad said. “If we’re still referencing these mistakes in the past and are always looking back, then we are getting nowhere.”
Zibanejad and the Rangers are aiming to go further this season, as last year’s result “wasn’t good enough.”
“Obviously the team we had last year wanted to go past the first round and further,” Zibanejad told The Post. “We had some ups and downs like everyone, and back-to-back 100-point seasons are pretty good. But it wasn’t good enough.”
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Zibanejad is entering the season with high expectations
After finishing last season with a career-high 91 points, Zibanejad is entering this season with high expectations. Centering the first line again, Zibanejad enters his eighth season with the Blueshirts as one of the team’s biggest stars.
Zibanejad is an elite goal-scorer who brings an elite level of intensity to the ice. However, this season, the 30-year-old is gaming to play with a more positive mindset.
“For me, I want to be a little more positive. Last year it always seemed so serious,” he said per The Post. “Of course we take this seriously, but we are playing the game that we love, and we’re trying to win. There should be more enjoyment in that. A positive mindset creates more energy.”
The Rangers will be relying on Zibanejad this season as he aims to take advantage of this fresh start and lead his team back to the playoffs, hoping for better results this time around.