The Zuccarello Appreciation Thread (Videos inside)

[Lady Vengeance]

Wolfy posted this in the MZA... Really?? Thread, so I'm guessing they were roommates:

It was mentioned on NHL Live that they were roommates in Hartford.

 

[babyshamble]

I doubt that they are roommates because Mats is living with his girlfriend. But they probably live in the same apartment block or something.

 

[Wolfy*]

I believe his girlfriend did not come with him to the US

Let's just say that both are rookies recently called up from Hartford, that's why they know each other and stick together.

 

[wolfgaze]

Is he really that bad defensively though? Can't say I've noticed him being particularly bad in that regard since he got called up.

He hasn't been... Only mistake he made was early on in the Tampa Bay game (first one) where he didn't' pick up Vinny L in front of the net and they scored.... Aside from that, he's negated some odd-man rushes with strong back-checking..... I don't believe Torts thinks he's poor defensively, just not confident in his defensive play (yet) because he's unfamiliar with the player, which is understandable...

 

[NYR Sting]

He hasn't been... Only mistake he made was early on in the Tampa Bay game (first one) where he didn't' pick up Vinny L in front of the net and they scored.... Aside from that, he's negated some odd-man rushes with strong back-checking..... I don't believe Torts thinks he's poor defensively, just not confident in his defensive play (yet) because he's unfamiliar with the player, which is understandable...

Eh, that wasn't really his mistake. It was Stepan's. Vinny was his man, and he just skated into the slot and stopped.

 

[NHLFreak]

So would you say he's here to stay?

 

[Pucktrader]

Mats about Marc: " I've never played with a better defenseman. He is quite impossible to come by and is absolutely superb defensive."
I agree 100% !!

 

[Pucktrader]

What is Zucca saying here?

 

[KingStian]

So would you say he's here to stay?

It’s impossible to say for sure at this point, but with all the injuries I would say his chances to stay up are good. As long as he keeps playing at the quality level he has played until now, I don’t see how they could send him down. And Tortorella really seams to like him a lot too.

 

[Hockey Team]

It’s impossible to say for sure at this point, but with all the injuries I would say his chances to stay up are good. As long as he keeps playing at the quality level he has played until now, I don’t see how they could send him down. And Tortorella really seams to like him a lot too.

What other options do the rangers have at this point anyway?

We already called up half the whalepack because of injuries.

 

[Nordiques1979]

It’s impossible to say for sure at this point, but with all the injuries I would say his chances to stay up are good. As long as he keeps playing at the quality level he has played until now, I don’t see how they could send him down. And Tortorella really seams to like him a lot too.

I'm not sure about it, unless MZA scores 4 goals in a row in the next 2 games i think he will be sent down :

Anisimov
Avery
Boyle
Callahan INJURY
Christensen INJURY
Drury
Dubinsky
Fedotenko
Gaborik
Prospal INJURY
Prust
Stepan
Wolski
MZA

MZA will sticks with NY until late january, then Prospal, Callahan and Christensen will be back which would make 14 forwards.

 

[Glennsoe]

what he needs is to produce more points..

What is he now...1 + 3 in 6 games ?

But the team hasn't scored a lot lately either, so it's touch to say...

It's getting closer to play off time, so it could be that he's sent down to get the goal/assist feeling again and then brought up near the play of's...

But I've been wrong before...

 

[Chimpradamus]

Zuccarello could easily have had a PPG pace at this time with a little bit more chemistry with his teammates, some luck with burying his own chances and teammates burying his passes.

I don't see how you can send him down, considering the creativity he brings to the team. He brings alot more than Christensen, that's for sure.

Frodo is 1+4 in 8 games.

 

[JimmyStart*]

Funny how many people were coming out of the woodworks to say negative stuff when he started the season predictably in AHL as if that fact would mean he'd never make the team and do anything. Can't sit here and say he's gonna stick quite yet either though. Way he's playing if he keeps it up it's a no brainer but he could possibly have a slump and need some time to recover in AHL. He's been real real good though. He did more than enough to earn about 8 assists so far but the other team or goalie made spectacular saves.

 

[Norwegian]

Zuccarello could easily have had a PPG pace at this time with a little bit more chemistry with his teammates, some luck with burying his own chances and teammates burying his passes.

I don't see how you can send him down, considering the creativity he brings to the team. He brings alot more than Christensen, that's for sure.

Frodo is 1+4 in 8 games.

+2 shootout goals. 2 out of 3 pucks in the net, has been game winners. He certainly has made a difference so far. Hope he stays up, he deserves it. But i would not bet on it.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Funny how many people were coming out of the woodworks to say negative stuff when he started the season predictably in AHL as if that fact would mean he'd never make the team and do anything. Can't sit here and say he's gonna stick quite yet either though. Way he's playing if he keeps it up it's a no brainer but he could possibly have a slump and need some time to recover in AHL. He's been real real good though. He did more than enough to earn about 8 assists so far but the other team or goalie made spectacular saves.

What I gathered from reports of his play in Hartford, he was on of (if not the) best players on the team initially, it just didn't result in any points (much like his first games as a Ranger). His play might have slumped after that for a while before he exploded, but I think the points will come in bunches when the rest of the team figures him out. He doesn't seem to think the game the same way as regular players and he is only supposed to surprise the opposition, not his teammates...

 

[Placid]

What I gathered from reports of his play in Hartford, he was on of (if not the) best players on the team initially, it just didn't result in any points

On a Norwegian hockey forum we had several guys watching the AHL games. They described Zucc's teammates as "a bunch of lumbering buffalo's who couldnt receive a pass to save their life".

Probably a very harsh description of them, but once they got to know eachothers playstyles better, things improved

 

[Norwegian]

On a Norwegian hockey forum we had several guys watching the AHL games. They described Zucc's teammates as "a bunch of lumbering buffalo's who couldnt receive a pass to save their life".

Probably a very harsh description of them, but once they got to know eachothers playstyles better, things improved

I watched most of his games in ahl, and was not very impressed with his teammates. But the biggest problem was that the team didnt play to his strenghts, it was not until Näslund wanted him back to modo they opened their eyes and gave him pp time and topline minutes. Newbury as his center also helped! Mats needs skill around him, even tho he got the abillity to make his linemates better he needs someone to give him the puck and be able to recive a pass, and put the puck in the net. if he had that from the start he would atleast be ppg in ahl.
The only upset was that he started to shoot more and he actually got more goals than assists and thats a first for him. Most of his pp points came when he was on the point, QBing the pp. maybe something to think about for the Rangers aswell?

 

[NYR Viper]

About the time MZA started to put up more points there was an article by either Schoeny or Gernander that said something like, it took his teammates and himself a few weeks to understand eachothers playing style. MZA is a very slick passer and his teammates just weren't expecting passes at times when he would make them.

Once they realized to always be watching him and he learned how to play a little more NA style, they meshed well and the points started to pour in.

 

[SirKillalot]

What is Zucca saying here?

"Henrik was standing like this, and cried: No more shootout! No more shootout! Please...haven't even been remotely close..."



Zuccarello named his "career-team" in the newspapers:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=no&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=no&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg.no%2Fsport%2Fartikkel.php%3Fartid%3D10037095

- Gaborik is among the fastest I've seen with the puck, and I could obviously had with Foppa. He was an idol for me as a younger, and it was the gun that I had time to play with him in Modo - especially since he was still so good, "said Zuccarello. Nevertheless, there are other - and far less familiar - names that have come in Zuccarello line-up. Simply because they are meant more for the 23-year-old's career.

 

[Pucktrader]

About the time MZA started to put up more points there was an article by either Schoeny or Gernander that said something like, it took his teammates and himself a few weeks to understand eachothers playing style. MZA is a very slick passer and his teammates just weren't expecting passes at times when he would make them.

Once they realized to always be watching him and he learned how to play a little more NA style, they meshed well and the points started to pour in.

I think its a bit of the same on the Rangers too, he finds rooms all the time but rarely gets a pass, at least in some games. Ending him chasing around and getting out of position.
I guess this will be better in the future.

 

[Pucktrader]

"Henrik was standing like this, and cried: No more shootout! No more shootout! Please...haven't even been remotely close..."

Or maybe "Outside NY there are fish this big...between their eyes"

 

[Norwegian]

Come on Mats, show your a greater asset than Wolski!

 

[Zil]

I'm not sure about it, unless MZA scores 4 goals in a row in the next 2 games i think he will be sent down :

Anisimov
Avery
Boyle
Callahan INJURY
Christensen INJURY
Drury
Dubinsky
Fedotenko
Gaborik
Prospal INJURY
Prust
Stepan
Wolski
MZA

MZA will sticks with NY until late january, then Prospal, Callahan and Christensen will be back which would make 14 forwards.

Callahan will take Weise's spot. Prospal likely won't come back at all. And there's no way they bump Zuccarello in favor of Christensen, unless Zuccarello's game drops way off.

 

[Norwegian]

Another good game by Mats, to bad he could not get one past Auld. Created quite a few chances, took more shots (4on net 1 blokked and 4 missed) Hopefully it will start to pay out in more points. Also hoping he gets more time on the pp, 35sek is not much. Maybe he can get a shot at the point, Stepan did not impress there last night.