Mika Zibanejad trade: Why parting ways with the Swede may be difficult for the New York Rangers

The New York Rangers and Mika Zibanejad might be parting ways after nine seasons, with the Swedish center potentially becoming another blockbuster trade for the team.

This comes after Chris Kreider already headed out of Madison Square Garden to the Anaheim Ducks.  

While the Athletic reported that both the Rangers and Mika Zibanejad might have already discussed the potential move, it would certainly not be easy for the center to find a new home. And there is a solid reason for that.

Why will trading Mika Zibanejad not be easy for the New York Rangers?

The New York Rangers might find trading Mika Zibanejad a bit difficult, though his tally of 20 goals this season is the lowest he has achieved since his debut season in 2016-17. The reason for the difficulty is that he has five years left on his contract. He also has a complete no-move clause in each of the next four years. The final year of his deal in 2029-30 contains a modified no-trade clause. 

All of that carries an average annual value hit of $8.5 million, which is a sizable number for most teams to take on.

Chris Kreider also had a no-trade clause in his contract, but he waived it to join Anaheim, a team with several of his former teammates and former Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville. 

It is difficult to say whether Mika Zibanejad will do the same, but the Ducks seem to be the only team for which he could do that, for now.

Zibanejad and Kreider are well-known close friends, and his departure hit the Swedish center particularly hard.

“You took me in from Day 1. You’ve taught me everything in what it means to be a Ranger,” an excerpt from Zibanejad’s goodbye post on Instagram read. “You’ve always had my back no matter what. From being kids to having kids of our own, it’s a journey that doesn’t end here. This is a friendship for a lifetime, teammates or not.”