Confirmed Signing with Link: [MIN] Wild sign Zucker to $27.5m deal (5 years, $5.5M AAV)

[Spilot23]

I hate this as an Avs fan so I guess that must be a good contract

 

[StateOfHockey101]

No... the way you gain cap room as the year goes on is by sending down players or players being injured .

Like he said the cap is a day to day thing.

Example is, how the wild sent down anyone ahl eligible on off days and days they weren't going to play, instead of having them sit in the press box still counting against the cap.

So if you do this enough throughout the year you gain space. As of now we have 1.7 in room assuming everyone on roster is with the nhl team all year.

So doing send downs and call ups, we'll probably end up with around 3 million in room by trade deadline

 

[57special]

Very viable candidate to take over after Koivu, IMO

No way. Suter or Granlund.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

No way. Suter or Granlund.

I don’t really hear much about granlund being a leader in the locker room. He’s obviously very gifted, but I have never looked at him and though he should be a captain in the Nhl. Suter’s is a good option, but 2 years from now we could be looking to move towards the younger core. For me I think Zucker’s leadership on and off the ice coupled with work ethic and community service at least makes him a viable candidate. Just how I see it.

 

[NYR713]

Nice deal for both. Zucker is one of those guys that continues to progress year after year and now hitting that standard idea of prime years. Even if he plateaus a bit the next few years, he's most likely a 55-70 pt guy for the contract.

 

[57special]

Every team wants at least one player like Zucker that can turn on the jets, blow by defenders, and capitalize on his chances. When he is on the ice defenders get nervous, get less brave on the pinch, and the forecheck comes on them much faster, pressuring them into mistakes.

 

[Cellee]

he went on PP1 last year, played on LN1

NHL.com - Stats

Well then I swear Minneapolis radio has been lying to me about the PP time.

Damn you, KFAN

 

[Kshahdoo]

Isn't it too much for a player, who scored 8 points in 31 playoff games?

 

[Freudian]

Good time to have a career year.

 

[Iceman]

...and his yearly no-show in the playoffs?

 

[BagHead]

Well then I swear Minneapolis radio has been lying to me about the PP time.

Damn you, KFAN

I love KFAN, but they know a lot more about football, basketball and even baseball than they do about hockey. Even their hockey guy (Brandon Mileski) gets things wrong a bit of the time. That's why I love when Russo is on. No matter how you feel about Mike Russo, he at least knows his hockey, and especially the Wild.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Such a good deal for the Pens since the Wild are going flip Zucker for Brassard now.

 

[vokiel]

Looks like a pretty good deal to me.

 

[CanadienShark]

Fair deal. Could look like a good cap hit if he keeps his play at this level. Even if he takes a step back, it's not a horrible deal.

 

[TSA0402]

First though was wow alot of dough for a lesser known player.

Second thought was, his numbers are actually pretty good for 5.5 million.

Third thought, can't believe Bobby Ryan got 7.25 million years ago.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Isn't it too much for a player, who scored 8 points in 31 playoff games?

You need horses to get you there and horses to cross the finish line. The Wild haven't been dynamos in the playoffs so hopefully Zucker continues to grow along with his teammates.

 

[Bazeek]

...and his yearly no-show in the playoffs?

It's a concern, at least for me, but he's not exactly alone in that respect on the Wild. Minnesota's playoff struggles are a whole other topic, but suffice to say that just letting Zucker walk wasn't going to help solve them. Getting him signed for reasonable term and money helps give Fenton room to solve the bigger problems.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

Interesting. It's a great deal if last year wasn't a fluke. If last year was a career year it's terrible. I laughed when I heard about this and then I realized he actually had 64 points last year.

 

[TaLoN]

No... the way you gain cap room as the year goes on is by sending down players or players being injured .

Like he said the cap is a day to day thing.

Example is, how the wild sent down anyone ahl eligible on off days and days they weren't going to play, instead of having them sit in the press box still counting against the cap.

So if you do this enough throughout the year you gain space. As of now we have 1.7 in room assuming everyone on roster is with the nhl team all year.

So doing send downs and call ups, we'll probably end up with around 3 million in room by trade deadline

Both. The space you have adds up daily, but if you need more to add up like the Wild did this past season because they were the tightest they've ever been against the cap, then you send players down to increase the daily space adding up.

Every day you have open space, that space adds to what's available down the road.

 

[TaLoN]

I don’t really hear much about granlund being a leader in the locker room. He’s obviously very gifted, but I have never looked at him and though he should be a captain in the Nhl. Suter’s is a good option, but 2 years from now we could be looking to move towards the younger core. For me I think Zucker’s leadership on and off the ice coupled with work ethic and community service at least makes him a viable candidate. Just how I see it.

Granlund was just captain of team Finland.

He's been a clear leader amongst the younger core of the Wild imo.

Granlund would easily be my next choice for captain.

 

[Iceman]

It's a concern, at least for me, but he's not exactly alone in that respect on the Wild. Minnesota's playoff struggles are a whole other topic, but suffice to say that just letting Zucker walk wasn't going to help solve them. Getting him signed for reasonable term and money helps give Fenton room to solve the bigger problems.

We did the same with Miller so we’re in this together I guess.

 

[Danny1237]

At first I thought that was a bit much but this deal is very fair. He had a great year and nothing in his underlying numbers point to it being a fluky season (normal 5v5, PP and individual shooting %, good possession player, and only entering his prime years now).

I think the hard part is the inflation of the cap gives you a bit of sticker shock. It wasn't long ago that $5M+ was reserved for star players only. But realistically, this deal is actually a better value than JVR's 2nd contract, which turned out to be a steal. It's the going rate now for guys you expect to score 25+ goals.

 

[1specter]

I think the hard part is the inflation of the cap gives you a bit of sticker shock. It wasn't long ago that $5M+ was reserved for star players only. But realistically, this deal is actually a better value than JVR's 2nd contract, which turned out to be a steal. It's the going rate now for guys you expect to score 25+ goals.

Very true. I mean Zucker scored 33 goals so really 5M for a 30 goal scorer is pretty damn good.

 

[rynryn]

Steve is a great guy.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Interesting. It's a great deal if last year wasn't a fluke. If last year was a career year it's terrible. I laughed when I heard about this and then I realized he actually had 64 points last year.

So what was your evaluation based on?