Injury Report: Jason Zucker likely out for the season

[NHL1674]

Russo

#mnwild GM Chuck Fletcher says Jason Zucker is likely out for season. Reaggravated knee injury. "Gone from something minor to not."

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[Avder]

Russo

 

[llamapalooza]

That's rough. Really bad timing for his development.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

Sucks. Feel for him. Know he'd want nothing else than to help the team.

 

[TheeNorthStar]

 

[Minnesota]

A major knee injury can't be good for a guy who relies on speed.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

The Forward version of Cuma?

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

Should've traded him the second Nino showed he was the real deal. He has no future with us and his value is only going to continue to decrease with injuries, staying in Iowa, etc.

 

[Avder]

Should've traded him the second Nino showed he was the real deal. He has no future with us and his value is only going to continue to decrease with injuries, staying in Iowa, etc.

Sad but probably true.

Then again if we get a new coach this offseason Zucker could suddenly find himself with a role to play.

But yeah, he's got no future here with Yeo as coach.

 

[Puhis]

He might still have a future here, esp. with Heatley off the books (likely) in the summer. Besides, it's not like developing down in Iowa will hurt him. The injury, on the other hand... Ugh. Knee injuries are tough ones. Seems kinda strange that it's gone from "something minor to not". I hope it's something that can be repaired with proper care and time.

 

[Al Lagoon]

He might still have a future here, esp. with Heatley off the books (likely) in the summer. Besides, it's not like developing down in Iowa will hurt him. The injury, on the other hand... Ugh. Knee injuries are tough ones. Seems kinda strange that it's gone from "something minor to not". I hope it's something that can be repaired with proper care and time.

Agree with everything here.

 

[BigT2002]

He might still have a future here, esp. with Heatley off the books (likely) in the summer. Besides, it's not like developing down in Iowa will hurt him. The injury, on the other hand... Ugh. Knee injuries are tough ones. Seems kinda strange that it's gone from "something minor to not". I hope it's something that can be repaired with proper care and time.

Agreed. Hope he just gets better right now.

 

[Caior89]

He seems like a very emotional guy, feel bad for him. Damn

The Forward version of Cuma?

Really?

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

I'd like to know where he "fits in" as some of you seem to think.

Parise, Pominville, Nino/Coyle and Vanek/Moulson assuming we get one of them next year are all locks for the winger spots in the top 6. You don't pay Cooke $2.5 million a year to be a 4th line winger so he's on our 3rd line for a while yet, and Fontaine looks pretty good as a 3rd line winger so unless you want Zucker playing on the 4th line, he has no place here.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'd like to know where he "fits in" as some of you seem to think.

Parise, Pominville, Nino/Coyle and Vanek/Moulson assuming we get one of them next year are all locks for the winger spots in the top 6. You don't pay Cooke $2.5 million a year to be a 4th line winger so he's on our 3rd line for a while yet, and Fontaine looks pretty good as a 3rd line winger so unless you want Zucker playing on the 4th line, he has no place here.

You can pay Cooke $2.5m to be on the 4th line if/when you're paying your 3rd line LW just over a mil. That's where he was tonight, after all.

 

[GopherState]

Kind of a Twins-esque injury for Zucker. Anyone check on TP?

 

[rynryn]

Zucker just isn't that good, people. He does seem to have superior drive though, and I hope that gets him rehabbed ahead of schedule. Maybe that drive also caused him to tough it out a bit too much when he should have sat himself earlier?

 

[llamapalooza]

Zucker just isn't that good, people. He does seem to have superior drive though, and I hope that gets him rehabbed ahead of schedule. Maybe that drive also caused him to tough it out a bit too much when he should have sat himself earlier?

I don't think anyone here really believes he's going to be an elite guy, but I think there's a feeling that he's a fairly talented prospect who brings elements (speed, shot, offensive instinct, drive) to the team that we don't really have much of in the immediate pipeline or our recent grads. From that perspective I think he's more valuable to our organization than a slightly more talented but redundant prospect might be--say, another playmaking two-way forward.

 

[Lapa]

That sucks. Hope he comes back even stronger.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

I think Zucker is the kind of guy you win with, love to play with hate to play against.

Kinda like Max Talbot, but quicker...

He'll bounce back and be a good 3rd liner.

 

[bear1]

Hes done stick a fork in him Cuma 2

 

[this providence]

So between Iowa and Minnesota he ended up playing only 43 games. And he's been out since just before the break...

Awesome.

 

[DANOZ28]

i think zucker has skill he just needs the right development plan. he needs a team that can put him on the 2nd line, not 4th. we just dont have the correct roster spot open 4 him. big Z get well soon!

 

[rynryn]

i hope that zucker tweet was just him expressing great disappointment in reinjuring his knee and not, as Russo seemed to think, indicating there was a massive problem with it. Didn't Bombardir get a knee injury they couldn't fix?

 

[Jarick]

I would assume that's the case. He is a restricted free agent who barely played any hockey this year. I wouldn't say he's at a crossroads, but I bet he wanted to build on last year and get a strong contract, or at least prove he can stay in the NHL. He didn't get that opportunity, then got injured, and now he's going to have 6+ months of rehab that will set him back.