Announcement

**Josh** · 09-30-2013, 08:16 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Pretty upset about this. At the least, we should be playing him on the wing and then building up some trade value.

**Stylizer** · 09-30-2013, 08:27 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Originally posted by Josh

Pretty upset about this. At the least, we should be playing him on the wing and then building up some trade value.

As it stands Zibby is our 3rd line center. When he was drafted management thought he had higher potential. Stay in the NHL playing on the third line might hurt his development. If he goes down to bingo and is the Top line center getting 22 minutes a night, first pp, and has a chance to dominate he will be better for it. He is still only 20 years old. o doubt Pageau and Da Costa out played him. They deserve to play.

**Alfie11** · 09-30-2013, 11:24 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Gonna have to agree with Josh on this one. Did Da Costa and Pageau outplay Zibanejad? Yes, absolutely. I don't think Zibanejad was bad, and I actually liked his play except against the Islanders, but Da Costa and Pageau did shine. However, that's over a 3-4 game sample size. Zibanejad has shown over a long stretch of games that he belongs in the NHL, putting up .5pts/gm in his first pro season in North America.

Getting more ice time in Binghamton could be good for his game, but he's also shown that he's an NHL player. This is certainly a surprise, nevertheless. I had him pencilled in as a lock. But I can see where you're coming from, Alymer Fudd. You look at Couturier for example who is an NHL player and is put into a position where he cannot live up to the offensive potential he has. I guess the team wanted to really make sure he'd develop that offensive game.

**Stylizer** · 10-01-2013, 07:22 AM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Originally posted by Alfie11

Gonna have to agree with Josh on this one. Did Da Costa and Pageau outplay Zibanejad? Yes, absolutely. I don't think Zibanejad was bad, and I actually liked his play except against the Islanders, but Da Costa and Pageau did shine. However, that's over a 3-4 game sample size. Zibanejad has shown over a long stretch of games that he belongs in the NHL, putting up .5pts/gm in his first pro season in North America.

Getting more ice time in Binghamton could be good for his game, but he's also shown that he's an NHL player. This is certainly a surprise, nevertheless. I had him pencilled in as a lock. But I can see where you're coming from, Alymer Fudd. You look at Couturier for example who is an NHL player and is put into a position where he cannot live up to the offensive potential he has. I guess the team wanted to really make sure he'd develop that offensive game.

Zibby could have the potential of a 1 line player. Playing on the third line will stunt his growth. If he were 24 you know what kind of player he will probably be. At 20 he is still going to get better. It might hurt his ego but it wont hurt his development.

**Matt the Aussie** · 10-02-2013, 08:12 AM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Yeah, the truth of the matter is that Zibanejad shouldn't have been outplayed by both Pageau and DaCosta, and he was.

**matchesmalone** · 10-02-2013, 10:50 AM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Playing on a third line won't stunt his development. Look at all the top players in Detroit who worked to move up the ranks starting on the third line. Part of the reason Datsyuk and Zetterberg are two of the best defensive forwards in the league, they put in the time playing a checking role. That said, I don't love the move, but it might be for the best. On the one hand, I would have liked to see him in the NHL after the promise he showed last year, but if a stint in the AHL to get his confidence up, and play on the top line and top powerplay, is what it takes then sure. At 6th overall the first year of our rebuild, he is the most important draft pick we've had in years, he still has enormous potential, so we have to handle his development just right. Give him half a year in the AHL, if that's what it takes. Although if it got around to a whole year that would be disconcerting. I think he'll go down, score at close to a point per, and then come back up at some point and play on the third line. Unless there is something seriously wrong with Zibanejad's work ethic and/or attitude, there's no way Da Costa can keep his skill-set out of the lineup for more than a couple months.

**Josh** · 10-05-2013, 12:23 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

If money were no object, would you rather play ~10 minutes a night on an NHL 3rd line or ~20 minutes a night on an AHL 1st line?

**matchesmalone** · 10-06-2013, 01:49 AM

Re: Zibby sent down.

There's not a simple answer to that. I was fully expecting him to make the lineup because he's good enough to center a third line, but since we're deep enough that we can afford to keep him out of the roster, I'm all for letting him stay in the AHL for a while, particularly to work on his faceoffs and to show he can actually be an elite level player at some level. He's always played above his age group so he's never really dominated anywhere, excepting World Junior competition. I'd say from a player drafted that high and at that age, it's reasonable to expect somewhere in the vicinity of a point per from him in his stint in the AHL, especially with the NHL experience. And considering he had a goal in their first game tonight, he's on track so far. I'd prefer not to see him there too long though, since he's already shown he's NHL-ready, which cannot be said of Da Costa, and I think as long as he produces as he should, Murray will bring him up after not too long.

Where the issue occurs is where we consider the logistics of the lineup. Pageau is playing on the third line and they've played very well together. If Zibanejad is replacing Da Costa, that would put him on the 4th line somewhere, as well as make him liable to be a healthy scratch some nights. But that said, once he's proven himself at the AHL level, give him a chance on the 4th line and some PP time for a few games, and if he outplays Pageau or Conacher then give him the chance to take their spots, if not, send him back down after a few and tell him he still has more work to do. Once he's fully established himself as the third line center and powerplay option, he should get something more like 12-15 mins per game than ten, which is a decent amount for a young payer to develop with. That said, it is good to let him get this time in the AHL to develop his offensive skills so that he'll be ready once he moves into a top six role in a year or two, so maybe a few weeks or even a couple months wouldn't be the worst idea ever.

**Matt the Aussie** · 10-07-2013, 07:16 AM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Great post Matches, fully agree.

**Josh** · 10-07-2013, 03:19 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

Yeah, I'll second that; excellent post Matches. I do still think he should be up with the club - I feel he was one of our better forwards last season, albeit in a shortened year. But it is reasonable to assume that some time dominating in a lower league won't hurt. I just hope he doesn't have ego issues and ends up getting upset and demanding a trade or something. Then again, if that's his attitude then good riddance.

**Victor** · 10-07-2013, 03:39 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

I remember reading when he was scouted and ultimately drafted that part of the reason for drafting him (a bit of an off-the-board pick) was his attitude, as in he's not a drama queen like that.

**Stylizer** · 10-07-2013, 04:41 PM

Re: Zibby sent down.

The only reason he made the team is because Da Costa made it. once they get a decent trade for him Zibby will be back.

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Zibby sent down.

Zibby sent down.

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