The New York Rangers have a problem. And it’s not the injury to Adam Fox or poor play, but rather a culture problem. Mika Zibanejad was benched after missing a team meeting, and their head coach Mike Sullivan made the final decision. That decision is now ruffling feathers in the Rangers’ room, spelling doom for the season.
Mika Misses Practice
As mentioned above, Mika Zibanejad was scratched against the Ducks due to missing a team meeting, and Mike Sullivan ultimately made the final call. Zibanejad spoke with team reporters after another loss to the league-worst Vancouver Canucks. Zibanejad went on to explain that he got caught in traffic behind an accident, leading to his punishment.
Mika Zibanejad said he hit traffic yesterday morning due to an accident and that’s why he missed the team meeting, but added:
“It’s my 10th season (with #NYR). I know what the (traffic) challenges are and whatnot, but it was an unfortunate situation. I got stuck… I’m just…
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) December 17, 2025
There isn’t any indication whether or not this is the first time Zibanejad has missed a team meeting or practice, but considering he got punished, this is probably not the first time. That is without a doubt a massive problem, as Zibanejad is an assistant captain. What kind of example is he setting for the other, especially younger, players if he’s missing meetings? And if this is the first time it has happened, why is he being punished before such an important game?
Mike Sullivan is Destroying the Locker Room
Sometimes, talent isn’t the main reason a team fails. Locker room culture and the overall vibes of a room are massive parts of getting a team together. The Rangers used to have those good vibes a few years ago, but since 2024 that feeling is just not there anymore. Many people thought that Mike Sullivan would fix that, but things are just getting worse. His decisions are baffling, and this most recent one is causing quite a stir.
There’s just no logic to how Sullivan is running the team. No one is playing with energy or passion. Rangers fans have been begging Gabriel Perreault to be called up to see if he could give the team some life. New York finally did call him up, and Perrault immediately made an impact, scoring his first NHL goal. Why is a player like Perrault stuck on the third line, while has-been like Connor Sheary is getting top line minutes despite scoring only nine points?
Frustration is also beginning to spread to the ice. Igor Shesterkin destroyed his stick after the loss to the Ducks, with the moment going viral. Sullivan benching Zibanejad for that game could’ve been the first nail in the coffin. The players may feel that Sullivan is being harsh for no reason, or that he has favorites like Sheary, who won two cups with Sullivan in Pittsburgh.
Igor Shesterkin just DESTROYED his stick while heading off the ice after the Rangers 14th home loss of the season 😳 pic.twitter.com/nOnoatQhrf
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 16, 2025
Can this season be saved?
This season just seems like a lost cause. The team and fans are frustrated, and everything just seems like it’s going downhill. The Rangers top players aren’t producing, and the team just has no direction. New York needs to decide if they are going to try and make a playoff push or begin the rebuild once again.
With Adam Fox still injured, the Rangers outlook for the rest of this month is bleak. Fox did skate with the team in a noncontact jersey on Thursday, so there is hope for his return. However, it will take a lot more than just Fox coming back to fix this team’s issues.
Sullivan is clearly not the guy to teach the Rangers’ young players, and it might very well be time to move on at the end of the season. All in all, Rangers fans can expect the team to continue to be around .500 and miss the postseason for the second year in a row.
Main Photo: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
