Mika Zibanejad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mika Zibanejad
Zibanejad with the New York Rangers in 2023
Born	(1993-04-18) 18 April 1993 (age 32) Huddinge, Sweden
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	New York Rangers Djurgårdens IF Ottawa Senators
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2011 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	2010–present

Mika Zibanejad (born April 18, 1993) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player. He plays as a centre and is an alternate captain for the New York Rangers. This team is part of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Mika was chosen sixth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He started playing for the Senators in the 2011–12 season. Later, in 2016, he was traded to the New York Rangers. Mika has also played for Sweden's junior team and senior team. He helped them win gold medals in major international tournaments.

Mika's Early Hockey Career

Mika Zibanejad first played association football as a child. But he soon decided to focus on hockey. He started playing hockey at age six for a team called Hammarby IF. He played there for seven seasons.

Zibanejad with Djurgårdens IF in 2012.

After Hammarby IF closed, Mika joined AIK IF's youth program. He then moved to Djurgårdens IF for the 2009–10 season. He played for their junior teams. Mika made his first professional debut in the Elitserien on December 7, 2010. He scored his first goal on January 15, 2011.

In February 2011, Mika signed a new contract with Djurgården. He became a regular player on the senior team. He scored five goals and nine points that season. This made him one of the best young players on the team.

Playing for the Ottawa Senators

Zibanejad being selected sixth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft

On July 13, 2011, Mika signed a three-year contract with the Ottawa Senators. They had picked him sixth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Mika impressed everyone at training camp. He joined the Senators for their first game of the 2011–12 season. He earned his first NHL point in that game.

After playing nine games, Mika was sent back to Djurgårdens IF in Sweden. In 2012, there were rumors that Mika might be traded. But the trade did not happen.

In August 2012, the Senators announced Mika would play in North America. He would either play for the Senators or their minor league team, the Binghamton Senators. Due to an NHL lockout, Mika started the 2012–13 season with Binghamton. He scored 11 points in 23 games. He was called up to Ottawa in January 2013. Mika scored his first NHL goal on January 30, 2013. In the 2015–16 season, he scored a career-high 21 goals and 30 assists.

Zibanejad with the Ottawa Senators in 2013

Joining the New York Rangers

On July 18, 2016, the Senators traded Mika to the New York Rangers. He joined the Rangers along with a second-round draft pick. In return, the Senators received Derick Brassard and a seventh-round pick.

On November 20, 2016, Mika got hurt during a game. He broke his left fibula, a bone in his leg. He missed about six to eight weeks of play. He returned to the Rangers lineup on January 17, 2017. He scored two goals in that game. The Rangers made it to the playoffs that season. On April 20, 2017, Mika scored the winning goal in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens. The Rangers won that series. They then faced his former team, the Senators, but lost in six games. Mika led his team in scoring during those playoffs.

After the Rangers traded another player, Mika signed a new five-year contract. This made him the Rangers' main centre for the 2017–18 season. The Rangers did not make the playoffs that year. They started to rebuild their team. Mika became a key young player for them. In the next season, Mika had a breakout year. He scored 30 goals for the first time in his career. He also led the team in scoring.

In the offseason, the Rangers added Artemi Panarin to Mika's line. Mika started the 2019–20 season strong. He scored a goal and three assists in the first game. In the second game, he scored his third career hat-trick against the Ottawa Senators. He also had an assist in that game. This made him one of only a few players in NHL history to have four-point games in the first two games of a season. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Week.

On March 5, 2020, Mika made history for the Rangers. He became only the third player in team history to score five goals in a single game. This happened in a 6–5 win against the Washington Capitals. He even scored the winning goal in overtime. Mika had a great season, and the Rangers made the playoffs. They faced the Carolina Hurricanes but lost the series.

Zibanejad with the New York Rangers in 2021

Mika had a slow start to the 2020–21 NHL season. But on March 17, 2021, he scored a natural hat trick in one period. He also tied an NHL record with six points in that same period. The Rangers won the game 9–0. He scored another hat trick a week later against the same team. Mika finished that season with 24 goals and 50 points.

On October 10, 2021, Mika signed a new eight-year contract with the Rangers. He was also named an alternate captain for the team. In January 2022, Mika was chosen for his first NHL All-Star game. The Rangers made the playoffs that year. They beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes. Mika had a great playoff run. The Rangers then lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals.

For the 2022–23 season, Mika was again the Rangers' top centre. He had a strong season, scoring 39 goals and 91 points. The Rangers faced the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. Mika scored a goal and had two points in a key game. However, the Devils won the series in the next game.

International Hockey Career

Mika Zibanejad has played for Sweden's national teams. He played for the under-18 and junior teams.

Zibanejad skating with the Swedish team at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships.
Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2018 Denmark
World Junior Championships
Gold	2012 Calgary
IIHF World U18 Championships
Silver	2011 Germany
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Bronze	2010 Ontario

On January 5, 2012, Mika scored the winning goal for Sweden in the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. This "golden goal" helped Sweden win the gold medal against Russia. On May 20, 2018, Mika scored a goal in the final game of the 2018 IIHF World Championship. This helped Sweden win another gold medal.

Mika's Life Outside Hockey

Mika Zibanejad grew up in Huddinge, Sweden. His father is from Iran, and his mother is from Paltamo, Finland. Mika can speak English, Persian, Finnish, and Swedish.

Mika's half-brother, Monir Kalgoum, also played professional ice hockey. Mika got married in 2021 to Irma Helin. She is a Swedish footballer and sportscaster. They have one child.

Mika's Music Career

Besides hockey, Mika Zibanejad is also a DJ and music producer. He has released several songs. These include "Forever" (2017), "Can't Go Back Home" (2018), "Moves" (2019), "Nobody" (2019), and "By My Side" (2020).

In 2019, Mika performed at the Summerburst Festival in Gothenburg, Sweden. This was his first music festival. In 2023, he also performed at Lollapalooza Stockholm. He DJ'd a set with fire and pyrotechnics. He was part of a lineup that included famous artists like Travis Scott and Lizzo.

Career Statistics Summary

Mika Zibanejad has played many games in his career. Here is a summary of his time in the NHL and international games.

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	Sweden	U17			6	5	4	9	4
2011	Sweden	WJC18			6	4	4	8	2
2012	Sweden	WJC			6	4	1	5	2
2018	Sweden	WC			10	6	5	11	0
Junior totals					18	13	9	22	8
Senior totals					10	6	5	11	0

Awards and Honors

Mika Zibanejad has received several awards and honors during his career.

See also

• Swedish Iranians
• Sweden Finns