Mats Zuccarello Must Be Resigned!

As of February 13, The New York Rangers have secured third place in the Metropolitan Division with 69 points. They are four points behind the New York Islanders and three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Rangers recently moved one point ahead of the Washington Capitals. The team’s record is 32-16-5 where they are 6-3-1 in their last ten games. This is the seventh time in franchise history where they won 30 games in less than 50 games. One of those reasons behind their recent surge has been the highly-noted goals of Mats Zuccarello.

Zuccarello made his Broadway debut in the 2010-11 season, when he recorded 23 points with six goals and 17 assists in 42 games. He would bounce back and forth between the Rangers and their affiliate team, the Hartford Wolfpack, for three seasons. Last season, the Norwegian native would finally crack the everyday roster. His first full season with the Blueshirts was by far his best! He would go on to score 19 goals and record 40 assists, which is impressive for 59 points. He managed to do that while playing on the Rangers third line with Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot, which was arguably their best line. Zuccarello was one of the many players who flourished in coach Alain Vigneault’s system. In the playoffs, he continued to show what a great player he is and what he means to the locker room. He would score five goals and picked up eight assists for 13 points and help guide the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup appearance in 20 years.

Zuccarello resigned with the Rangers in the offseason for a one year 3.5 million dollar deal. So far this year, he has 11 goals, 21 assists and 32 points with a +16 rating. The problem is the 5 foot, 7 inch player is one of many free agents the Rangers are trying to resign. However, he is starting to come around for a second half surge with the intangibles he brings to the game. Zuccarello plays with grit, has great vision, uses his speed, gets in on the forecheck, goes to the dirty areas and can both pass and score goals.

Mats’ biggest assets to the team are his determination to stick up to opposing players, despite his size and his will to compete every night, which makes him a great fit for this team. The Rangers just can not afford to let this heart and soul player walk away. Zuccarello himself expressed his desire to stay with the Rangers and is hopeful that both sides can work out a deal.

Recently, his play is beginning to pick up and Ranger fans are being treated to the Zuccarello they are used to seeing. He’s got off to a cold start and ever since the rumors of his contract talk started going around, it seem to really make him want to play harder and earn that extension. The fan favorite has three goals, three assists and six points, with 14 shots on net and a +5 rating in his last five games. Moving him off the top line with Rick Nash has helped turn his game around and encouraged him to shoot more. He’s got some skills with the puck and has a great shot especially in the shootout. If he’s going to score more, he’s got to shoot more. Like with any player, if he’s on the right line with the right guys, the chemistry will show. In fact, playing with Chris Kreider and most importantly Derick Brassard has helped him rediscover his shooting touch. The chemistry he has with them is scary good and this allows him to drop the passing mentality and get back to driving to the net more. The last two games is an example of why Zuccarello is always a threat to score.

Rangers Fans Sound Off!

So can the Rangers re-sign one of their most important players before the deadline? The fans would agree and hope that is the case. “He needs to be resigned.” said Perry Vella Sr. from Floral Park. “He sees the ice like Martin St. Louis, which is something you can’t teach and makes everyone around him better.” Zuccarello is a player who has great vision and is able to make plays and handle the puck well. “They need to resign him!” said Andrea Harkins from Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. “He creates many scoring opportunities for his linemates and plays with heart, soul and all the grit his size permits to win.” His style of play will definitely remind Ranger fans of former captain Ryan Callahan because he has that same style. Marisa Marinucci of Port Jefferson Station would agree. “He definitely needs to be resigned” said Marinucci. “He has his head in the game and knows where he needs to be. He works well with his linemates as well.”

Kenneth Ohliger from Commack, Long Island believes that signing Zuccarello at the right price would be the ideal way to go. “If he is not signed to a reasonable contract by the deadline, I’d trade him” said Ohliger. “We can’t let him walk at the end of the season and get nothing for him.” The Rangers have very limited cap space and there is no doubt the salary cap will increase. If it doesn’t, this will put Rangers General Manager Glen Sather in a difficult situation to resign all their free agents. “You have to remember that Derek Stepan also needs to be resigned and there is no room to sign both players if the cap doesn’t increase.”

As the season goes on, this month will give the fans a good indication of what will happen with Zuccarello and his play leading up to the trade deadline. The fans are not only hoping he can continue to produce and put up points, but also for Sather to work out a deal to keep this fan favorite in New York for many years. With Marc Staal being their first priority taking care of, the attention in Rangerstown turns to Zuccarello. If they manage to resign him, can he help the team return to Stanley Cup status?

“Mats is the heartbeat of the Rangers and would definitely lead us to another cup run” said Susanne Shand from Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Anthony Soto from Carlstadt, New Jersey would agreed as well. “Absolutely he can!” said Soto. “He makes any line he plays on better.” Al Crego from Queens, New York likes his chemistry with Kreider and Brassard. “This line is a threat and it would be a shame to see him go” said Crego.

The NHL Trade Deadline is fast approaching, making the next few weeks crucial for the Rangers and all their free agents. Due to the salary cap, the Rangers will have to think long and hard about who they want to retain, shop or acquire. At this point, only time will tell.