"I stepped into a team that was one of the best teams in the League," the 30-year-old forward said. "They'd won the division when I first joined them in 2012
with the No. 1 pick. Defenseman Braden Schneider was the No. 19 pick in the 2020 draft.
Zibanejad started to take his game to another level. He has scored 278 points (123 goals, 155 assists) in 273 games since 2018-19, including an NHL career-high 79 points (28 goals, 51 assists) in 78 games this season.
Kreider is making his 10th NHL season his best with 51 goals and 74 points.
Some of the players added prior to the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline have paid dividends, none bigger than forward Andrew Copp, who in 15 games has scored 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists), including a natural hat trick in the first period of a 6-3 win against the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Copp, acquired in a trade with the Jets on March 21, has been a regular on a line with Panarin and Strome. Frank Vatrano, acquired in a trade with the Florida Panthers on March 16, has scored 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 18 games with New York and has been playing with Zibanejad and Kreider.
The Rangers have a team record 26 comeback wins. They haven't lost more than two games in a row since they lost three straight from Nov. 2-6.
"Everyone knew it was time to take a step and we did that," Strome said.
The next step awaits them. The next goal has been set.
"We're here," Trouba said. "Now it's time for the players to step up and make some noise."
