Why Mika Zibanejad needs a top-tier right wing to be acquired by the Rangers

Mika Zibanejad, the starting center for the New York Rangers, has had a notably poor season. Even though he is scoring.915 points per game, his play has been inconsistent and 43 percent of his points have come from the power play. To put it mildly, his performance at even strength has been lackluster.
Nevertheless, throughout the season, he hasn’t really had a reliable first-line right flank. For general manager Chris Drury, obtaining one prior to the March 8 trade deadline is critical.

The 30-year-old center has shared the court with erratic Kaapo Kakko, aging Blake Wheeler, and right-side bottom-six forward Jimmy Vesey this season.

The last time Zibanejad scored at even strength was against the Buffalo Sabres on December 23. He is also expected to end the season with 75 points. For someone who recently finished the season with a career-high 91 points, that is a worrying statistic. Finding a right wing to best complement Chris Kreider and Zibanejad seems to be the wisest course of action, since it is clear that coach Peter Laviolette does not think highly of splitting them up.