Former NHL pest Sean Avery goes after Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad in latest rant

Former NHL forward Sean Avery quickly garnered a reputation for being one of the league’s most notorious pests due to his constant trash talking on the ice, but off it as well. Ever since he’s hung up the skates, that’s where he’s been doing some damage and on Monday night, he brutally criticized New York Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad.

While the Blue Shirts are off to a solid 2-0-1 start this season through three games, Avery filmed one of Zibanejad’s shifts against the Detroit Red Wings and called him out, stating that he was “DJing in Ibiza all summer”, saying this has led to the star forward being lazy at the start of the campaign.

Avery argues with the video he shows as proof of Zibanejad’s very lackadaisical play as the forward does appear too stationery on the sequence, and on top of that, the Rangers’ star forward has only put up a goal and two assists since the beginning of the schedule.

Could Avery be right?

Sure, Zibanejad has had a passion for music and DJ-ing for some time now, but he is not the only NHLer with different passions off the ice. That has never stopped him from putting up points and making sure the Rangers are a contender in the postseason.

But the proof is in the pudding, right?

It’s been said that this could be the last shot for this Rangers’ core to make it all the way and help the team back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2014.

However Avery is adamant that Zibanejad needs to kick into gear and perform better on the ice to make sure the Rangers can contend, but also, to stop him from running him under the bus.

While I’m not saying Avery’s comments will be the ones to push Zibanejad to do better on the ice, the video could very well be used by the Rangers’ coaching staff to make sure the star forward is always moving and putting his best performance forward.