Zuccarello (a rare case of a good 30+ ufa signing?)

[NickyFotiu]

I'm really happy for him. He had to fight to even get in the NHL. Slats always had faith in him but Torts wanted nothing to do with him. Refused to call him up from the AHL multiple times despite AHL coaches saying he deserved to be called up. Played him on the 4th line and didn't dress him (after injury) for a must win playoff game vs NJ. Zooks basically went to play in the KHL until Slats got him back over in to the USA in spite of Torts because we had no offense.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

He’s just as impressive as Kaprizov most nights. It’s a good case of them elevating each other. Kaprizov doesn’t get 100 points this year without zook, that’s forsure.

 

[Webster]

Playing with one of the best players in the world saved his career.

lol...he doesn't need to save his career, with a $30 million contract it's obviously been pretty good for a while. Zuccarello is one of the best playmakers in the league, and now he's Kaprizov's mentor. Both are very skilled and smart, chemistry is there, so their success is the result of all this.

 

[ODoyle]

Zuc and Kap remind me a bit of Gaborik and Demitra. Pure magic.

 

[TaLoN]

He’s just as impressive as Kaprizov most nights. It’s a good case of them elevating each other. Kaprizov doesn’t get 100 points this year without zook, that’s forsure.

He would with Boldy

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

He would with Boldy

He will with Boldy. Not the point tho

 

[TaLoN]

He will with Boldy. Not the point tho

The point is, Zucc has never played with anyone like Kap before. Thus his career high in points is 61.
Kap would still be an 80-90 point player without Zucc, Zucc would probably be in the 60-70pt range without Kap.

 

[Webster]

The point is, Zucc has never played with anyone like Kap before. Thus his career high in points is 61.
Kap would still be an 80-90 point player without Zucc, Zucc would probably be in the 60-70pt range without Kap.

No at this point I don't think Kaprizov would reach 90 points without Zuccarello, if you look at other Wild players, not even with Boldy because they have to build chemistry first. And we know that Kaprizov and Fiala didn't work well together. But Zuccarello can certainly have a 100 point season playing with another star player.

Zuccarello was the top scorer for the Rangers 3 yrs in a row, including that 61 point season. But this also means he didn't have any great linemates, he helped them becoming better players though, look at Kreider and Zibanejad now. In Dallas Zuccarello had Benn and Seguin as linemates, and he became a PPG player. So his career high is misleading, it means nothing.

 

[TaLoN]

No at this point I don't think Kaprizov would reach 90 points without Zuccarello, if you look at other Wild players, not even with Boldy because they have to build chemistry first. And we know that Kaprizov and Fiala didn't work well together. But Zuccarello can certainly have a 100 point season playing with another star player.

Zuccarello was the top scorer for the Rangers 3 yrs in a row, including that 61 point season. But this also means he didn't have any great linemates, he helped them becoming better players though, look at Kreider and Zibanejad now. In Dallas Zuccarello had Benn and Seguin as linemates, and he became a PPG player. So his career high is misleading, it means nothing.

Kap has looked just fine when Zucc has missed games. I don't see where you get this from at all.

 

[Webster]

Kap has looked just fine when Zucc has missed games. I don't see where you get this from at all.

I disagree, Kaprizov's production hasn't been the same without Zucc. Last season when Zucc had wrist surgery and missed the first 14 games, Kaprizov flat out struggled, except in his debut game. But he started to shine when Zucc was back in the lineup, and this I get from the stats.

 

[TaLoN]

I disagree, Kaprizov's production hasn't been the same without Zucc. Last season when Zucc had wrist surgery and missed the first 14 games, Kaprizov flat out struggled, except in his debut game. But he started to shine when Zucc was back in the lineup, and this I get from the stats.

Struggled to 12 points in 14 games?

Next 14 games after Zucc came back, he had 14pts in 14 games. Is 2pts really the difference between excelling and struggling to you?

Sorry, Kap has been just fine without Zucc.

 

[Webster]

Struggled to 12 points in 14 games?

Next 14 games after Zucc came back, he had 14pts in 14 games. Is 2pts really the difference between excelling and struggling to you?

Sorry, Kap has been just fine without Zucc.

Kaprizov had 3 goals and 6 assists in his first 11 games that season, without Zucc, not exactly the player we know today. 1 + 2 came in his debut game, so he went the next 10 scoring 2 goals and 4 assists. I remember fans and media became a little concerned back then, they expected more.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Hehe, I love how all those Rangers fans love him, but I remember quite a different time.

I started to follow Zucc since that year, when he looked really great on Team Norway at the Olympics and WHC, and then he moved to the NHL as a skilled and undersized euro. To say Rangers fans weren't very enthusiastic about signing the guy would be an understatement. Not that they hated him, but they were clearly sure he had no any future in the league.

So then he moved to the KHL and nobody cared, but then he got back, and Rangers fans weren't very enthusiastic (to say the least) again. But the next season he scored 59 points in 77 games and finally won the fans hearts.

I've personally always believed he's a great player, so yeah to me it's not a surprise at all how good he looks along with Kaprizov.

 

[Idlerlee]

The point is, Zucc has never played with anyone like Kap before. Thus his career high in points is 61.
Kap would still be an 80-90 point player without Zucc, Zucc would probably be in the 60-70pt range without Kap.

Playmakers relying on forwards to finish his setups for his own production.

News at 11, 12, 13, 14 and 22.

I find the chances generated statistic for the Wild this year to be fairly interesting. Zuccarello is ahead of everyone on that metric by a country mile, no one are close.

Hockey is a team sport.

 

[Wasted Talent]

Kaprizov had 3 goals and 6 assists in his first 11 games that season, without Zucc, not exactly the player we know today. 1 + 2 came in his debut game, so he went the next 10 scoring 2 goals and 4 assists. I remember fans and media became a little concerned back then, they expected more.

And Zuccarello had 37 points in 65 games before Kaprizov arrived. Zuccarello has been excellent and their chemistry is mutually beneficial, but I don't think it's a controversial thing to say Zuccarello benefits more.

 

[Idlerlee]

And Zuccarello had 37 points in 65 games before Kaprizov arrived. Zuccarello has been excellent and their chemistry is mutually beneficial, but I don't think it's a controversial thing to say Zuccarello benefits more.

From what I understand he was playing with a injured wrist that was hindering his ability to move the puck a lot, which is why he had corrective surgery. His play this season is a result of that surgery.

The poster Webster is replying to appears to be hinting that Zucc is a passenger on the line, a statement most Rangers fans would attest to is outright false.

 

[The S5]

Of course they benefit each other. Zuc is the ultimate team mate and is a great hockey player to boot. Team chemistry is a real thing and Zuc brings value both on and off the ice.

 

[TaLoN]

Kaprizov had 3 goals and 6 assists in his first 11 games that season, without Zucc, not exactly the player we know today. 1 + 2 came in his debut game, so he went the next 10 scoring 2 goals and 4 assists. I remember fans and media became a little concerned back then, they expected more.

Then another 3 points in the next 4 games before Zucc arrived.

2 point difference in the start of the season in the supposed time he struggled vs the supposed time he took off immediately and excelled.

I'm sorry, but Kap is elite with our without Zucc no matter how you try to slice it.

Does Zucc complement him well as his wingman? Sure. That's not an insult to Zucc... but Kap will still be elite without him.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Kap has looked just fine when Zucc has missed games. I don't see where you get this from at all.

One of Zooks best games was when Kap was out. Its a strange take as best. Kap makes Zooks better. Zooks makes Kap better. They both obviously like playing and passing to each other so why try to raise one while pushing the other down?

And Zuccarello had 37 points in 65 games before Kaprizov arrived. Zuccarello has been excellent and their chemistry is mutually beneficial, but I don't think it's a controversial thing to say Zuccarello benefits more.

Playing with a still injured arm probably was not best for Zooks that season.

 

[TaLoN]

One of Zooks best games was when Kap was out. Its a strange take as best. Kap makes Zooks better. Zooks makes Kap better. They both obviously like playing and passing to each other so why try to raise one while pushing the other down?


Playing with a still injured arm probably was not best for Zooks that season.

Agreed. They compliment each other. That's an undeniable fact. Zucc is a great wingman for Kap, without a doubt.

 

[PocketNines]

Player A signed during the summer he turned 30
4yr x 4M AAV
218GP, 76G, 110A, 186 points

Player B signed during the summer he turned 30
5yr x 6M AAV, NMC
145GP, 40G, 80A, 120 points

(Player B is one season behind Player A, hence the GP discrepancy)

 

[Name Nameless]

Player A signed during the summer he turned 30
4yr x 4M AAV
218GP, 76G, 110A, 186 points

Player B signed during the summer he turned 30
5yr x 6M AAV, NMC
145GP, 40G, 80A, 120 points

(Player B is one season behind Player A, hence the GP discrepancy)

Still haven't found out how Minnesota could use one year to find out Zucc needed his arm fixed.

Over the two last seasons, he has
80GP, 25G, 56A, and 81 points. So he should be very comparable to your Player A here.

I also want to mention, as it seems to be important for some people, I hope you know his last seasons with the Rangers were influenced by the fact Rangers had told everybody they wanted to get rid of him, and get new players. Obviously, well obviously for some of us, he was a bit down over that.

 

[PocketNines]

Still haven't found out how Minnesota could use one year to find out Zucc needed his arm fixed.

Over the two last seasons, he has
80GP, 25G, 56A, and 81 points. So he should be very comparable to your Player A here.

I also want to mention, as it seems to be important for some people, I hope you know his last seasons with the Rangers were influenced by the fact Rangers had told everybody they wanted to get rid of him, and get new players. Obviously, well obviously for some of us, he was a bit down over that.

To be clear, Player A and Player B are both awesome. And definitely both outliers. One is .853PPG and the other is .828PPG and who knows, that could flip. Player A might be my personal favorite player ever, so my comparing them is not a negative.

EDIT – also I'm not a Rangers fan. I could spoil things by also mentioning Player A won the Cup in the first year of that deal. My "location" is a doom noir reference not an actual I-live-in-NYC reference. I live in the Emerald Triangle of California.

 

[Webster]

Still haven't found out how Minnesota could use one year to find out Zucc needed his arm fixed.

Because Zucc told the Wild it wasn't that bad, and he hoped the pain would disappear. But no, and in the offseason of 2020 he went to see doctors in Oslo. They said it was pretty bad and he needed surgery, so then he finally got it fixed.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Player A signed during the summer he turned 30
4yr x 4M AAV
218GP, 76G, 110A, 186 points

Player B signed during the summer he turned 30
5yr x 6M AAV, NMC
145GP, 40G, 80A, 120 points

(Player B is one season behind Player A, hence the GP discrepancy)

Perron.