Mika Zibanejad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mika Zibanejad |
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Zibanejad with the New York Rangers in 2023
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| Born | 18 April 1993 Huddinge, Sweden |
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| 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 |
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| National team |  Sweden |
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| NHL Draft | 6th overall, 2011 Ottawa Senators |
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| Playing career | 2010–present | ||
Mika Zibanejad (born 18 April 1993) is a professional ice hockey player from Sweden. He plays as a centre and is an alternate captain for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He also plays for the Swedish national team.
Mika was chosen sixth overall in the 2011 NHL entry draft by the Ottawa Senators. He joined the Senators for the start of the 2011–12 season. After playing nine games, he returned to Djurgårdens IF in Sweden. In 2016, after five seasons with the Senators, Mika was traded to the Rangers.
Mika has also played for Sweden in international games. He helped the junior team win the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He also helped the senior team win the 2018 IIHF World Championship.
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Mika's Hockey Journey
Mika Zibanejad started playing association football as a child. But he soon decided to focus on hockey. He began playing hockey at age six for Hammarby IF. He played there for seven seasons.
After Hammarby IF, Mika joined AIK IF's youth team. The next season, he moved to Djurgårdens IF. He played for their J18 and J20 teams. Mika made his debut in Sweden's top league, the Elitserien, on 7 December 2010. He scored his first goal on 15 January 2011.
Mika became a regular player for Djurgården's main team. He played in 26 games and scored five goals and nine points. This made him one of the most successful young players for the team.
Playing for the Ottawa Senators
On 13 July 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 got his first NHL point in that game, an assist. After nine games, he was sent back to Djurgårdens IF.
In 2012, Mika started the 2012–13 season with the Binghamton Senators. This was the Senators' minor league team. He scored 11 points in 23 games there. He was called up to Ottawa on 28 January 2013. He played his first NHL game of the season the next day. On 30 January, Mika scored his first NHL goal against the Montreal Canadiens. In the 2015–16 season, he scored a career-high 21 goals and 30 assists.
Joining the New York Rangers
On 18 July 2016, the Senators traded Mika to the New York Rangers. The Rangers also received a second-round draft pick. In return, the Senators got Derick Brassard and a seventh-round pick.
On 20 November 2016, Mika had a bad injury during a game. He broke his left fibula and missed several weeks. He returned to play on 17 January 2017. He scored two goals in that game. The Rangers made it to the playoffs that season. On 20 April 2017, Mika scored the winning goal in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens. The Rangers won that series. They then played against Mika's old team, the Senators. The Senators won that series. Mika led his team in scoring during the playoffs with nine points in 12 games.
After the Rangers traded their first-line center, Mika became the team's new top center for the 2017–18 season. The Rangers did not make the playoffs that year. They decided to rebuild their team. Mika was one of the young talents they kept. In the next season, Mika continued as the Rangers' top center. He had a great year, scoring 30 goals for the first time in his career. He also led the team in points.
In the offseason, the Rangers added Artemi Panarin. He played on 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 points in each of the first two games of a season.
On 5 March 2020, Mika made history for the Rangers. He scored five goals in one game against the Washington Capitals. He was only the third Rangers player to do this. His fifth goal was the game-winner in overtime. Mika had a good season, and the Rangers made the playoffs. They played against the Carolina Hurricanes in a short playoff series. The Rangers lost the series.
Mika had a slow start to the 2020–21 NHL season. But on 17 March 2021, he scored a natural hat trick in one period against the Philadelphia Flyers. He also tied an NHL record by getting six points in that same period. The Rangers won the game 9–0. He scored another hat trick a week later against the Flyers. Mika finished that season with 24 goals and 50 points. However, the Rangers did not make the playoffs.
On 10 October 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 goal and two assists in Game 7 against the Penguins. The Rangers then played the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost that series.
For the 2022–23 season, Mika was again the Rangers' top center. He had a great season, leading the team with 39 goals. He was second on the team with 91 points. The Rangers played the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. Mika scored a goal and had two points in Game 6 to keep the Rangers' season alive. However, the Devils won the next game and eliminated the Rangers.
In the 2023–24 season, Mika continued to be a key player for the Rangers. He scored 26 goals and 46 assists for 72 points. The Rangers had a strong regular season. They made it to the playoffs, where Mika contributed with 3 goals and 13 assists in 16 games.
Mika played in the 2024–25 season with the Rangers, scoring 20 goals and 42 assists for 62 points.
International Hockey Career
 Zibanejad skating with the Swedish team at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships. |
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| Medal record | ||
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Representing  Sweden |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2018 Denmark | |
| Bronze | 2025 Sweden/Denmark | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 2012 Calgary | |
| IIHF World U18 Championships | ||
| Silver | 2011 Germany | |
| World U-17 Hockey Challenge | ||
| Bronze | 2010 Ontario | |
Mika has played for Sweden at different levels: youth, junior, and senior. On 5 January 2012, Mika scored the winning goal for Sweden in the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships final against Russia. Sweden won the gold medal 1–0. On 20 May 2018, Mika scored a goal in the final to help Sweden win the 2018 IIHF World Championship. He was one of the top scorers in that tournament.
In February 2025, Mika was part of Sweden's team for the first 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. He scored the first goal for Sweden against Finland.
In May 2025, Mika was named an alternate captain for Sweden's team at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. He scored a goal in Sweden's first game against Slovakia. In the next game against Austria, he scored two goals, including the game-winner. He scored another goal against Latvia. In the quarter-final against Czechia, Mika had two assists. In the bronze medal game against Denmark, he scored a goal and had an assist. Sweden won the bronze medal at Avicii Arena in Stockholm. Mika finished the tournament with five goals and three assists.
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 ice hockey professionally in Europe.
Mika married Irma Helin in 2021. She is a Swedish footballer and sportscaster. They have one child.
Music Career
Mika Zibanejad is also a DJ and music producer. He has released several songs. Some of his songs 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 performance. 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.
Awards and Honors
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | ||
| All-Star Game | 2022 | |
| New York Rangers | ||
| Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award | 2019, 2020 | |
Images for kids
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Zibanejad with Djurgårdens IF in 2012.
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Zibanejad being selected sixth overall in the 2011 NHL entry draft.
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Zibanejad with the Ottawa Senators in 2013.
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Zibanejad with the New York Rangers in 2021.
