Zuccarello Appreciation Thread Part 2

SKS

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Jan 17, 2011
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I have seen him take a couple of real blasts from the point that both rang off the crossbar/post after cleanly beating the goalie. Both times I was surprised and wondered where that power came from. I wish he would take that shot more.

I saw him practice for the first time yesterday and was very pleasantly surprised with his snap shot from distance. Buried it top corner three times in a row with massive force.
 

Idlerlee

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Apr 19, 2013
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Borrowed this from @Fsaltbones on twitter - How has this not been a NHL.com headline from a Ranger game yet

Be734ALCcAE-zfi.jpg
 

Pistachio

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Sep 10, 2013
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Zucc is back in the lead when it comes to points - together with Richards.

That's where he belongs. Second on goals scored and point leader.

I think everyone who were talking early in the season about getting him traded are afraid to talk here now, except the few who admit their mistake.
 

Baby Punisher

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If they give a contract worth $2.5/4 - its a robbery. Why should he have less than Brassard for example? $4/3-4 is what he deserves.

Zucc is an RFA, so the Rangers have the leverage. I think he will get a fair contract. This is really Zuccs first full season in the NHL. So the Rangers have that as well. YEs, Zucc is having a break out season & this is what we all expected we would get from him but it's also a small sample.They will find common ground & get it done long term.
 

Wolfy*

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Zucc is an RFA, so the Rangers have the leverage. I think he will get a fair contract. This is really Zuccs first full season in the NHL. So the Rangers have that as well. YEs, Zucc is having a break out season & this is what we all expected we would get from him but it's also a small sample.They will find common ground & get it done long term.

That doesn't mean much if they want to sign him more than one season, since he's UFA in 2015.

It's time for the Rangers to come up with a decent offer, something like 12M+ over 3 years.
 

Zucc36

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Zucc is an RFA, so the Rangers have the leverage. I think he will get a fair contract. This is really Zuccs first full season in the NHL. So the Rangers have that as well. YEs, Zucc is having a break out season & this is what we all expected we would get from him but it's also a small sample.They will find common ground & get it done long term.

Don´t totally agree. Yes, this is his first full season. But if you look at his earlier efforts, he was a 0.5 player his first season DESPITE having Tortorella as a coach. He never let Zucc play his game. But still he picked up a lot of points. When he returned back last years from KHL, he noted 8 points in the 15 RS-games he played, and in the Playoffs he was second best behind Brassard with 7 points in 12 games. Yes, the playoffs where most of the Zucc-critics predicted he would fall through.

And this season speaks for it self. Tied in lead with points with 1 game less played than Richie, and almost 2 minutes less icetime/g (17:08 vs 19:02) and more than a minute less ice time/g in PP (2:41 vs 3:52)

Not saying he deserves a superstar contract, but IMO somewhere around 3,5-4M is not an overpayment for a team leader in points. Keep in mind that the cap also goes up next season.
 

Chimpradamus

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Don´t totally agree. Yes, this is his first full season. But if you look at his earlier efforts, he was a 0.5 player his first season DESPITE having Tortorella as a coach. He never let Zucc play his game. But still he picked up a lot of points. When he returned back last years from KHL, he noted 8 points in the 15 RS-games he played, and in the Playoffs he was second best behind Brassard with 7 points in 12 games. Yes, the playoffs where most of the Zucc-critics predicted he would fall through.

And this season speaks for it self. Tied in lead with points with 1 game less played than Richie, and almost 2 minutes less icetime/g (17:08 vs 19:02) and more than a minute less ice time/g in PP (2:41 vs 3:52)

Not saying he deserves a superstar contract, but IMO somewhere around 3,5-4M is not an overpayment for a team leader in points. Keep in mind that the cap also goes up next season.
And to add to that, Zuccarello has humility and commitment, traits tons of skilled players lack, which hinders their development and consistency. Zucca doesn't half-ass it when he's on the ice, which is rare with players relying on fancy passes. Whichever contract Zucca gets, he's worth it, because he's giving something to this team that it sorely lacks (skill) and holds the standard in the other (work ethics).

Zuccarello might not have been able to play his style of hockey under Torts, but I think Torts still taught Zucca something about hockey and made him a better player. It's been mentioned before by myself and many others, but I just have to repeat it: that Zuccarello was able to produce at a 0.5 PPG pace playing Torts kind of hockey says so much of how good Zuccarello actually is (and we all saw how his assist total easily could've been doubled with better scorers). Most east-west Euros would've crumbled. Could you imagine Michael Nylander playing under Torts (who was a PPG player with Jagr and Straka)?
 
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Zucc36

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Jan 8, 2011
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Interview with Zuccarello´s mom (Anita Zuccarello) today in connection with a series about Olympic heroes preceding the Sochi Olympics.

To sum up it´s about Zuke´s popularity amongst both Norwegian and American fans, about his humble attitude, his tremendous hard work to get to where he is today, and that he cares a lot about children that are hurting and not doing so well. She thinks that after his hockey career, he will devote his time with disadvantaged children.

She can also reveal that he loves the TV show "Gossip Girl" and is not even embarrased about it :)

She actually wanted to name him Mario in stead of Mats. That would be some hockey name - Mario Zuccarello...... :)

parameter


The whole article (Google Translate)
 

Pizza

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Sep 17, 2005
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The year of Zuccarello. Amazing. Just Amazing.

It's a truly wonderful thing for any sports fan to see a talented player realize his potential.

Kudos to Zucc for having the power of imagination and stick with his dream of being a star on the worlds greatest stage. Also to Rangers scouts for believing in him. Just a great story.
 

Raspewtin

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Zucc has an explosiveness this year to his stride that I never remember him having. He's like Crosby, in the sense that he always wants to be better than he is. Those are the best kind of players, hard working skill guys.
 

Brooklyn Rangers Fan

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The year of Zuccarello. Amazing. Just Amazing.

It's a truly wonderful thing for any sports fan to see a talented player realize his potential.

Kudos to Zucc for having the power of imagination and stick with his dream of being a star on the worlds greatest stage. Also to Rangers scouts for believing in him. Just a great story.

Zucc has an explosiveness this year to his stride that I never remember him having. He's like Crosby, in the sense that he always wants to be better than he is. Those are the best kind of players, hard working skill guys.

Agreed. I've wavered on him multiple times in the past due to concerns about his size, but the sample size this year has been enough that I'm sold. He's a keeper, in large part due to the point Raspewtin makes.

That said, I still find the Norwegian fanboys who come here just to say "I told you so" when he does well and "why isn't the coach playing him more" when he does poorly, with no other interest in the Rangers, to be irritating. :)
 

Wolfy*

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I still find the Norwegian fanboys who come here just to say "I told you so" when he does well and "why isn't the coach playing him more" when he does poorly, with no other interest in the Rangers, to be irritating. :)

Maybe they still enjoy the fact that quite a few local fans had to eat a ton of crow ;)
 

Zucc36

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Agreed. I've wavered on him multiple times in the past due to concerns about his size, but the sample size this year has been enough that I'm sold. He's a keeper, in large part due to the point Raspewtin makes.

That said, I still find the Norwegian fanboys who come here just to say "I told you so" when he does well and "why isn't the coach playing him more" when he does poorly, with no other interest in the Rangers, to be irritating. :)

:laugh:
But you should actually be happy that the New York Rangers is BY FAR the most popular NHL team in Norway. Should count for something :) Maybe Zucc can make a couple of NYR pre season matches happen in Norway some time in the future. Stavanger has a great and modern arena and even the rink is NHL size.
 

SKS

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That said, I still find the Norwegian fanboys who come here just to say "I told you so" when he does well and "why isn't the coach playing him more" when he does poorly, with no other interest in the Rangers, to be irritating. :)

Oh, not just Norwegian fanboys who will claim that ! :)

It was just so damn frustrating to have people not see the unbelievable potential there and instead some people were quite rude in their dismissal of Zucc ever being a 50+ points guy and ridiculed those who offered different opinions.. But I agree, enough about that. (always a good way to argue, right? make the last comment - then agree it is a wasteful discussion :D )

I loved his Superbowl prediction.
"I love the green stuff on Seattles jerseys"
 

SnowblindNYR

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Zucc has an explosiveness this year to his stride that I never remember him having. He's like Crosby, in the sense that he always wants to be better than he is. Those are the best kind of players, hard working skill guys.

I feel like if he were 6'0 he wouldn't be too far from Crosby, at least in the playmaking department. Obviously his goal scoring is leagues behind.
 

Brooklyn Rangers Fan

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Maybe they still enjoy the fact that quite a few local fans had to eat a ton of crow ;)

:laugh:
But you should actually be happy that the New York Rangers is BY FAR the most popular NHL team in Norway. Should count for something :) Maybe Zucc can make a couple of NYR pre season matches happen in Norway some time in the future. Stavanger has a great and modern arena and even the rink is NHL size.

Ha. Fair enough. :)
 

member 116805

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Read a piece in a Norwegian newspaper the other day where he said he decided to go down in weight when he went to Russia. He said the lost 6-8 pounds.
Lots of people have wondered why he came back a better and faster player, that might have been it. I would not be surprised if Torts-hockey demanded weight gain.

Edit: source http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/vinter/article3748392.ece
 

Raspewtin

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Read a piece in a Norwegian newspaper the other day where he said he decided to go down in weight when he went to Russia. He said the lost 6-8 pounds.
Lots of people have wondered why he came back a better and faster player, that might have been it. I would not be surprised if Torts-hockey demanded weight gain.

Edit: source http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/vinter/article3748392.ece

Yet he still wins more board battles than half the team.
 

Blue Blooded

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Zucc has been playing at 25g 44a 69pt pace since his scratch. Pretty decent if you ask me.

His shooting percentage over this period is 12.82%, which should be a sustainable level for him, and his on-ice shooting percentage is actually lower than it has been in his previous years as a Ranger.

I.E. Zuccarello is at least playing like a legitimate 65-70pt scorer right now, but I guess we didn't really need stats to tell us that with the way he has been controlling play and creating chances.
 

Cassano

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Losing Zucc to injury in the 2012 playoffs is so demoralizing to think back. He was very solid before his season ending injury.

Of course he got healthy near the end of the playoffs, but we opted for Bickel and Rupp instead.
 

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