Mika Zibanejad’s Hockey Fights Cancer message is truly special

It’s Mika Zibanejad’s first season with the New York Rangers. He’s off to an excellent start, too: two goals, six assists, eight points in just nine games. He’s tied for second in team scoring.

So there’s a lot to like about his acquisition.

But he did have a team before the Rangers: the Ottawa Senators, who drafted him sixth overall in 2011. He played 281 games for them; Craig Anderson was Ottawa’s starting goalie for many of them.

Anderson, whose wife Nicholle was recently diagnosed with cancer.

The NHL season always starts off with Hockey Fights Cancer campaigns, and Zibanejad’s message becomes that much more poignant.

So shocking and heartbreaking, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Craig & Nicholle you are both such amazing people & together you will beat this! #HockeyFightsCancer #WhoDoYouFightFor

A photo posted by Mika (@zibanejad93) on Oct 31, 2016 at 2:46pm PDT

Good on Zibanejad, the NHL as a whole for keeping this up, and best of luck to the Andersons. Nobody deserves to go through this, ever.