Mika Zibanejad is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who currently plays as a centre for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).
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He was born on April 18, 1993, in Huddinge, Sweden to Ritva Zibanejad and Mehrdad Zibanejad.
Mehrdad, his father, is from Iran, and Ritva, his mother, is from Paltamo, Finland. His father Mehrdad, a Christian, fled Iran in 1983 due to religious persecution after serving two years in the Iran-Iraq War.
Monir Kalgoum, Mika’s maternal half-brother, is also an ice hockey player who has played for teams in several lower-tier European leagues, including Huddinge IK and AIK IF in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan and Milton Keynes Lightning in the United Kingdom.
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Credit: Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Mika Zibanejad was drafted sixth overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut in 2011. In the 2019-2020 season, Zibanejad had a breakout year, scoring 41 goals and 34 assists in 57 games.
Mika Zibanejad has represented Sweden on the international stage, assisting the junior team to victory at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the senior team to victory at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.
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