Rumor: Penguins interested in Zucker

[MuckOG]

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[Ryder71]

Yes, she has her own show on KFAN and is a frequent guest on the morning show.

Sounds like it might be better for the Pens to look elsewhere then. I like Zucker, I think he'd fit us well, but this ''family'' matter may not work well for the player or the team. I think Cullens wife wanted to go back to Minny in the year he left the Pens. I guess the wives up there have a lot of say in such matters.

 

[MuckOG]

I guess the wives up there have a lot of say in such matters.

This is not about his wife not wanting to move to Pittsburgh or anywhere else, it's a legal matter.

 

[Bazeek]

Sounds like it might be better for the Pens to look elsewhere then. I like Zucker, I think he'd fit us well, but this ''family'' matter may not work well for the player or the team. I think Cullens wife wanted to go back to Minny in the year he left the Pens. I guess the wives up there have a lot of say in such matters.

Maybe, but in terms of performance I doubt it matters. Either way it doesn't seem to have dissuaded Rutherford any: all of this was well known the last time he traded for Zucker.

 

[Ryder71]

This is not about his wife not wanting to move to Pittsburgh or anywhere else, it's a legal matter.

I know I was being a bit facetious.

 

[Hockeyfan200]

I know I was being a bit facetious.

His wife tweeted a while back he would have to move alone & I just think this will play a big role in Guerin not trading Zucker or if he did trading him to a team like Chicago or st Louis which is close to Minnesota.

It sucks but his wife custody issues is a big deal & Zucker might not react well to not seeing his wife for a while.

 

[Ryder71]

His wife tweeted a while back he would have to move alone & I just think this will play a big role in Guerin not trading Zucker or if he did trading him to a team like Chicago or st Louis which is close to Minnesota.

It sucks but his wife custody issues is a big deal & Zucker might not react well to not seeing his wife for a while.

I can see why. They seem pretty chummy with each other.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Maybe, but in terms of performance I doubt it matters. Either way it doesn't seem to have dissuaded Rutherford any: all of this was well known the last time he traded for Zucker.

JR's not afraid to overpay for someone he really wants. He'll just trade for Zucker's wife's ex so that he can move the entire family to Pittsburgh to avoid all these legal issues of one parent being in a different state from the other.

 

[Empoleon8771]

31 Thoughts: What really happened with Connor McDavid's knee rehab - Sportsnet.ca

1. As the all-star break begins and teams go through their scouting meetings, a few teams with interesting possibilities are waiting on upcoming performance to decide their path. Included in that group are Chicago, Minnesota, Montreal and the Rangers (back-to-back with Detroit when they return). Those teams will test the value of their players, but hold off on final decisions until closer to the deadline — unless they become convinced they’re out. Pittsburgh continues its pursuit of Jason Zucker, but the Wild aren’t yet ready to concede anything.

It's beating a dead horse at this time, because I think it's really obvious that JR wants Zucker on the Penguins, but Friedman included this today. I'm also thinking that the Penguins wouldn't be going this hard after Zucker if they knew that Zucker had Pittsburgh on his NTC, so that tells me a trade wouldn't be roadblocked by Zucker's NTC.

 

[Bazeek]

31 Thoughts: What really happened with Connor McDavid's knee rehab - Sportsnet.ca



It's beating a dead horse at this time, because I think it's really obvious that JR wants Zucker on the Penguins, but Friedman included this today. I'm also thinking that the Penguins wouldn't be going this hard after Zucker if they knew that Zucker had Pittsburgh on his NTC, so that tells me a trade wouldn't be roadblocked by Zucker's NTC.

I think Zucker's NTC is probably less of an obstacle than Guerin's willingness to trade him.

 

[AKL]

We’re in for a long, long decade if Guerin is looking at this team and isn’t ready to concede anything.

 

[Bazeek]

We’re in for a long, long decade if Guerin is looking at this team and isn’t ready to concede anything.

Eh, conceding something publicly is different than conceding it internally. It'd be different if we were looking to sell UFAs, but when your best deadline chips are guys with term it's probably better to at least look reluctant.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Wild fans can give me their opinions if they want, but as an outsider, I don't feel like Zucker is a piece you insist on keeping if you need to retool and I honestly have no clue how Guerin can look at the Wild and think they need anything but a retool. I don't know that the Penguins have what Guerin would want for Zucker (they do have pieces that Guerin likes, but maybe not in a Zucker trade), but I feel like Guerin needs to just rip the band-aid off and try to retool.

The Wild aren't close to being a cup contender, so if Guerin's goal is to win a cup as a GM, I don't know why he'd sit on assets like Brodin and Zucker. To me, those are the exact kind of guys you try to move if you're retooling. They're complementary pieces on contenders, but for retooling teams, they have more value as trade chips than as players. Not only that, but I think Zucker and Brodin are also very replaceable for the Wild, considering Suter, Dumba and Spurgeon is a great top-3 D group and they have Kaprizov coming next year.

 

[AKL]

Wild fans can give me their opinions if they want, but as an outsider, I don't feel like Zucker is a piece you insist on keeping if you need to retool and I honestly have no clue how Guerin can look at the Wild and think they need anything but a retool. I don't know that the Penguins have what Guerin would want for Zucker (they do have pieces that Guerin likes, but maybe not in a Zucker trade), but I feel like Guerin needs to just rip the band-aid off and try to retool.

The Wild aren't close to being a cup contender, so if Guerin's goal is to win a cup as a GM, I don't know why he'd sit on assets like Brodin and Zucker. To me, those are the exact kind of guys you try to move if you're retooling. They're complementary pieces on contenders, but for retooling teams, they have more value as trade chips than as players. Not only that, but I think Zucker and Brodin are also very replaceable for the Wild, considering Suter, Dumba and Spurgeon is a great top-3 D group and they have Kaprizov coming next year.

Yes, this

 

[Bazeek]

Wild fans can give me their opinions if they want, but as an outsider, I don't feel like Zucker is a piece you insist on keeping if you need to retool and I honestly have no clue how Guerin can look at the Wild and think they need anything but a retool. I don't know that the Penguins have what Guerin would want for Zucker (they do have pieces that Guerin likes, but maybe not in a Zucker trade), but I feel like Guerin needs to just rip the band-aid off and try to retool.

The Wild aren't close to being a cup contender, so if Guerin's goal is to win a cup as a GM, I don't know why he'd sit on assets like Brodin and Zucker. To me, those are the exact kind of guys you try to move if you're retooling. They're complementary pieces on contenders, but for retooling teams, they have more value as trade chips than as players. Not only that, but I think Zucker and Brodin are also very replaceable for the Wild, considering Suter, Dumba and Spurgeon is a great top-3 D group and they have Kaprizov coming next year.

I'll put it this way: what would trading Brodin and/or Zucker for futures bring the Wild that they don't already have? 90% of the deals I've seen offered on here involve a late 1st + the 5th best prospect from a playoff team, and I don't think those are off base. But while our prospect pool isn't top-10 in the league or anything, it's also not so bleak that either of those things really alter our course at all.

If the goal of trading them is to be bad this year and get a high draft pick I don't think it'd actually make that much of a difference. Zucker and Brodin leave and are replaced in their roles by Soucy and Donato... is there any reason to think that that translates into a difference in the standings? The bigger factor, by at least an order of magnitude, is our goaltending. If Guerin wants a high pick he needs to do literally nothing but keep his current goalie tandem.

With Zucker in particular, if he's traded at the deadline I strongly doubt it'll have anything to do with multi-year plans to retool or rebuild. It'll be because:

1.) We have a logjam of wingers
2.) Guerin has decided that Zucker is one of the guys that should go
3.) He can get more at the deadline than he can at the draft

1 is undeniably true, but 2 and 3 remain entirely speculative.

As someone who's been advocating for trading Zucker for about 2 years now I've taken a step or two away from that cliff lately. If we can get something that we don't otherwise have, like Newhook, it's definitely worth looking at. If it's just another late 1st and a prospect that projects as a 2nd/3rd liner in 4 years? Keep him and move Greenway or Donato.

 

[AKL]

I'll put it this way: what would trading Brodin and/or Zucker for futures bring the Wild that they don't already have? 90% of the deals I've seen offered on here involve a late 1st + the 5th best prospect from a playoff team, and I don't think those are off base. But while our prospect pool isn't top-10 in the league or anything, it's also not so bleak that either of those things really alter our course at all.

If the goal of trading them is to be bad this year and get a high draft pick I don't think it'd actually make that much of a difference. Zucker and Brodin leave and are replaced in their roles by Soucy and Donato... is there any reason to think that that translates into a difference in the standings? The bigger factor, by at least an order of magnitude, is our goaltending. If Guerin wants a high pick he needs to do literally nothing but keep his current goalie tandem.

With Zucker in particular, if he's traded at the deadline I strongly doubt it'll have anything to do with multi-year plans to retool or rebuild. It'll be because:

1.) We have a logjam of wingers
2.) Guerin has decided that Zucker is one of the guys that should go
3.) He can get more at the deadline than he can at the draft

1 is undeniably true, but 2 and 3 remain entirely speculative.

As someone who's been advocating for trading Zucker for about 2 years now I've taken a step or two away from that cliff lately. If we can get something that we don't otherwise have, like Newhook, it's definitely worth looking at. If it's just another late 1st and a prospect that projects as a 2nd/3rd liner in 4 years? Keep him and move Greenway or Donato.

I can see it now. Trade Donato because he’s young and unproven (at Donato’s age, Zucker had 4 gold and 12 points in 47 NHL games and followed it up with 26 in 51 the following season). Then we can watch Donato go on to be a better scorer over the next 5 years, and at the end of Zucker’s contract we can give him 6.5M for 5 years and a NMC because we don’t have any better options because we traded them all away for absolutely nothing.

The Minnesota way. Hook it to my veins.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'll put it this way: what would trading Brodin and/or Zucker for futures bring the Wild that they don't already have? 90% of the deals I've seen offered on here involve a late 1st + the 5th best prospect from a playoff team, and I don't think those are off base. But while our prospect pool isn't top-10 in the league or anything, it's also not so bleak that either of those things really alter our course at all.

If the goal of trading them is to be bad this year and get a high draft pick I don't think it'd actually make that much of a difference. Zucker and Brodin leave and are replaced in their roles by Soucy and Donato... is there any reason to think that that translates into a difference in the standings? The bigger factor, by at least an order of magnitude, is our goaltending. If Guerin wants a high pick he needs to do literally nothing but keep his current goalie tandem.

I think this is fair, but on that same token, why keep those players if they can be replaced internally and have it not make a huge difference? To me, pointing out that Zucker and Brodin can be replaced internally by Soucy and Donato, with realizing that they make a lot of money and have high trade values, is all of the justification I need to trade Zucker and Brodin. Considering the Wild are not contending right now and those two are replaceable, I feel like their trade value vastly outweighs their on-ice value, even if their trade value only brings back things they already have (high draft picks and prospects).

From an outsider's perspective, the justification for moving Zucker and Brodin is that they're replaceable and valuable. They're more valuable as trade chips than as players because the Wild aren't contenders and they can internally fill the spots that these two leave if they get moved. I feel like that is a stronger argument for moving them than pretty much any argument you can make against moving them.

 

[Bazeek]

I can see it now. Trade Donato because he’s young and unproven (at Donato’s age, Zucker had 4 gold and 12 points in 47 NHL games and followed it up with 26 in 51 the following season). Then we can watch Donato go on to be a better scorer over the next 5 years, and at the end of Zucker’s contract we can give him 6.5M for 5 years and a NMC because we don’t have any better options because we traded them all away for absolutely nothing.

The Minnesota way. Hook it to my veins.

I'm not saying that we should avoid trading Zucker, but if it's a choice between...

- Zucker for a 1st (PIT) + Galchenyk + 3rd

and

- Donato for a 2nd (EDM) + Puljujarvi

I'll take the second one, and I don't really like Puljujarvi. I think Donato's got potential, but I don't think it's worth getting hung up over.

That's just me, though. Everyone's kind of got their own read on our LW situation and I don't think there's a clear right answer there.

 

[AKL]

I'm not saying that we should avoid trading Zucker, but if it's a choice between...

- Zucker for a 1st (PIT) + Galchenyk + 3rd

and

- Donato for a 2nd (EDM) + Puljujarvi

I'll take the second one, and I don't really like Puljujarvi. I think Donato's got potential, but I don't think it's worth getting hung up over.

That's just me, though. Everyone's kind of got their own read on our LW situation and I don't think there's a clear right answer there.

If you can honestly say you think the difference between Brodin/Zucker and Donato/Soucy, especially going forward, doesn’t significantly affect our position in the standings?

Yeah I’ll take the Pittsburgh pick that’s likely about 20 spots earlier and the third. I’ll take the better value even if it’s not a huge difference.

I also think you’re out to lunch to think Edmonton would offer that for Donato, whereas Pittsburgh’s deal is far more realistic.

 

[Bazeek]

I think this is fair, but on that same token, why keep those players if they can be replaced internally and have it not make a huge difference? To me, pointing out that Zucker and Brodin can be replaced internally by Soucy and Donato, with realizing that they make a lot of money and have high trade values, is all of the justification I need to trade Zucker and Brodin. Considering the Wild are not contending right now and those two are replaceable, I feel like their trade value vastly outweighs their on-ice value, even if their trade value only brings back things they already have (high draft picks and prospects).

From an outsider's perspective, the justification for moving Zucker and Brodin is that they're replaceable and valuable. They're more valuable as trade chips than as players because the Wild aren't contenders and they can internally fill the spots that these two leave if they get moved. I feel like that is a stronger argument for moving them than pretty much any argument you can make against moving them.

The idea that Brodin and Zucker are internally replaceable isn't all that unorthodox among Wild fans, but I don't think it's that straightforward either. We have players that might, if given the chance, be able to replace their production, but the hit to team defense would be substantial. Maybe that ends up being a hit worth taking and maybe the best we can do is a late 1st+ for either. I'm just skeptical that it'd end up doing much for us.

 

[Bazeek]

If you can honestly say you think the difference between Brodin/Zucker and Donato/Soucy, especially going forward, doesn’t significantly affect our position in the standings?

Yeah I’ll take the Pittsburgh pick that’s likely about 20 spots earlier and the third. I’ll take the better value even if it’s not a huge difference.

I also think you’re out to lunch to think Edmonton would offer that for Donato, whereas Pittsburgh’s deal is far more realistic.

Edmonton's looking to stop spinning in circles and make the playoffs while McDavid and Draisaitl are godlike but have serious deficiencies at wing and almost no cap space. A cheap, 23 year old forward with Donato's shot and puck skills would be worth a 2nd and a prospect that basically just gave me the finger, if I'm Holland. More generally though I think you can get a 2nd and an okay prospect for Donato on the open market without much trouble.

And yes, I can honestly say that losing Zucker and Brodin for the last 3 months probably doesn't affect our place in the standings that much. Maybe a spot or two, but it'll depend much more on how tight the standings end up being and how bad our goaltending is. I don't think it should be a consideration in trading either player.

 

[66-30-33]

What is the cost on Foligno? Zucker and Foligno would be a great haul for Pens.

 

[MuckOG]

What is the cost on Foligno?

Probably a 2nd + something else

 

[AKL]

What is the cost on Foligno? Zucker and Foligno would be a great haul for Pens.

If you’re buying them together it’s going to be at least a 1st+ a solid prospect.

Like 1st+Poulin/Legare+Galchenyuk(for cap dump purposes exclusively)+ for Zucker+Foligno+

 

[Gfroer]

After hearing that his wife can't move with him is trading Zucker away from her the right move? The guy is going to have to live away from his family for 7-8 months a year for 4 seasons and im sure will spend every break possible flying back to be with them (rightfully so) instead of being able to bond with the guys here. Trading for Jason Zucker the hockey player would be great, he looks to be a perfect fit for the Pens on the ice but his situation makes me want my team to have no part in separating his family.