Mika Zibanejad's wife gives big hint about Rangers star's future as speculation swirls
Irma Zibanejad is setting the record straight.
The former Swedish soccer player and wife of Rangers center Mika Zibanejad weighed in on all the chatter out there surrounding her husband on Monday, when she revealed some telling information amid speculation the organization is looking to move on from him.
'We just had Mika's new coach [Mike Sullivan] here at our home, he flew over from New York recently,' she said, according to a translated quote from Swedish website Aftonbladet. 'We also just got our new home in New York. I'm always shocked about how newspapers just spread things without considering the source.'
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Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers skates during warm up prior to the game against the New Jersey Devils.
NHLI via Getty Images
Between Sullivan's Sweden visit and the purchase of a new home in New York, it sure seems like Zibanejad will be a Ranger on Opening Night of the 2025-26 season.
Irma Zibanejad's response comes amid rampant speculation surrounding the Rangers' plans this offseason, in which president and general manager Chris Drury is aiming to change the chemistry in the locker room after the team went from winning the Presidents' Trophy to missing the playoffs the last two seasons.
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After Drury traded 13-year veteran Chris Kreider to Anaheim last week, it's apparent that few players are off the table to be moved this offseason.
Zibanejad's name only circulated more in the aftermath of Kreider's departure.
Mika Zibanejad and his wife, Irma, in a story posted to Instagram.
@irmahelinzibanejad/Instagram
The Post's Larry Brooks reported that Drury had been in constant communication with Zibanejad, who was the best man in Kreider's wedding in August of 2023, every step of the way.
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Now, Zibanejad takes over for Kreider as the longest-tenured Ranger.
Irma also referenced the Zibanejads' purchase of a new home, which comes shortly after word spread that the family net $13 million in their sale of their West Village townhouse, per Crain's New York Business.
The sale fueled further speculation that Zibanejad was preparing to leave New York, but it appears the 32-year-old is set to stay.
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Regardless, the eight-year, $68 million extension Zibanejad signed with the Rangers in October 2021 is ironclad. Not only does he have a full no-move clause throughout, but the contract is essentially buy-out proof due to its bonus-laden structure.
Zibanejad, who has five years remaining on his contract, would need to sign off on any move the Rangers wanted to make.
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'So interesting with newspaper articles that there is zero truth in it,' Irma wrote in Swedish on her Instagram story on Monday. 'Oh well. You sit here sometimes and think, 'How did that go through?' The rumor has been taken out of the air. It is very interesting.'
There were no Rangers included among the first six players named to each of the 12 countries qualified for the men's ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympic Games.
After making the preliminary cut for Team USA at the NHL's 4 Nations Face-off tournament in February, Rangers defenseman Adam Fox was not announced as one of the first six Americans going to Milan, Italy on Monday.
Team USA instead named the Golden Knights' Jack Eichel, the Canucks' Quinn Hughes, the Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, the Bruins' Charlie McAvoy, the Senators' Brady Tkachuk and the Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk to the Olympic roster.
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Zibanejad was also among the first six Swedes named to the 4 Nations tournament, but was not included in the initial cut this time around.
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