Value of: Jason Zucker

[Dipsy Doodle]

I would be interested in this though...

* Gallagher (Retention down to $4.5M or $4M depending on the futures below)
for
* Zucker (cap dump)
* Futures (TBD)

What do you have in mind?

 

[YotesFan47]

Arizona's got you!

Zucker + 2024 2nd + Ansons for a 2022 6th?

You get all the cap space!

 

[Bankerguy]

I wouldnt call him a middle six forward. He's likely a solid second line winger good for 45 points.
12 goal, 30 point guys imo get the "middle six" title (assuming they offer no other crazy non-scoresheet attributes)

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Arizona's got you!

Zucker + 2024 2nd + Ansons for a 2022 6th?

You get all the cap space!

Zucker isn't a negative value asset.

 

[YotesFan47]

Zucker isn't a negative value asset.

Maybe, but you have to admit that he's been less than a $5.5m cap hit player in Pittsburgh, and with him turning 30 in a year, he may be hitting a wall. Some guys do a little earlier than others, just as some last longer. I don't have a crystal ball and have only seen 3 or 4 Pittsburgh games this year so I can't say, but his stats suggest he may be closer to done than not. Maybe it's just his usage.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Maybe, but you have to admit that he's been less than a $5.5m cap hit player in Pittsburgh, and with him turning 30 in a year, he may be hitting a wall. Some guys do a little earlier than others, just as some last longer. I don't have a crystal ball and have only seen 3 or 4 Pittsburgh games this year so I can't say, but his stats suggest he may be closer to done than not. Maybe it's just his usage.

He's had a down year. But he scored at a 20 goal/40 point pace last season, and some team will be able to use what he brings.

5.5 mil is more than he's worth in a vacuum right now, but the NHL is not a vacuum.

 

[Tender Rip]

Zucker isn't a negative value asset.

He is unless you (well, Hextall) find a team that wants to pay something to add him.

Also, he has to be off the Pens before next season starts.

That he will probably recover his talents eventually is something else, but 5.5 for what he is doing this season IS negative value.

Wish it wasn’t so.

 

[Oddbob]

Zucker probably only can be moved in a money for money swap right now. Maybe someone can take him as a reclamation project for cheap in the off-season, since he only has 1 more year after this year, but I'm not sure how easy of a sell that would be.

Zucker's issue is that he's like a $3.5 million player that makes $5.5 million. As a rental, that's probably not an issue, but that with term would be a hard sell.

This is how I feel about Zucker. Doesn't have terrible stats, but not someone you want getting 5.5 either.

 

[Oddbob]

Zucker isn't a negative value asset.

At that cap hit, and current league cap situation it definitely is a hindrance.

 

[SwedishFire]

Koskinen and a...uh... 2022 3rd for Zucker?

 

[BillyOcean]

The penguins can maneuver fine without Zucker. It's not that he's a bad player, but they're really in the same situation they were with Hornqvist. Crosby doesn't want to play with anyone but Rust and Guentzel. Malkin and Zucker haven't really done well with each other when they've been together. Zucker certainly isn't bringing an element like Hornqvist did for their power play or overall team morale/sparkplug.

I think that's ultimately the issue for Penguins fans. I could do without seeing him strapped to Malkins left side come playoff time because the team likely performs better without the pairing. With the emergence of Rodrigues and Carters ability to also play wing, the grass is definitely greener than Zucker - Malkin - Kapanen.

A main problem is, it's imperative that he is off the roster by next season for the purpose of resigning other players. So, any trade involving Zucker would have to involve an upcoming UFA or futures. I guess that's possible, but it seems unlikely.

So, then you're likely in a scenario where Zucker is a better option than a Dominik Simon type and you might as well trade him in the offseason when he will just have a year of term left. As a Pens fan, I just hope he's stapled to line three.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

He is unless you (well, Hextall) find a team that wants to pay something to add him.

Also, he has to be off the Pens before next season starts.

That he will probably recover his talents eventually is something else, but 5.5 for what he is doing this season IS negative value.

Wish it wasn’t so.

Only takes one.

You're right that generally, yep, we'd have to pony up a draft pick to move Zucker at this point. But he only has one more year on his deal, character guy, and we're not under pressure to deal him any time soon.

I'll just say that I'd be surprised if he were dealt as a negative value asset.

 

[Jerkbait]

I wouldnt call him a middle six forward. He's likely a solid second line winger good for 45 points.
12 goal, 30 point guys imo get the "middle six" title (assuming they offer no other crazy non-scoresheet attributes)

He is not a 2nd line winger on a deeper playoff team and the pens are proving this to you .

 

[SEALBound]

I think Zucker to the Coyotes for one of their many 2nds would be fine. Not much different than Murray for a 2nd.

 

[SEALBound]

He is not a 2nd line winger on a deeper playoff team and the pens are proving this to you .

Yeah but a deep playoff team wouldn't need him, so it's irrelevant. There may be some contenders that may want to bolster their LW depth though. Whether it's the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd line is irrelevant.

 

[Hoglander]

I can't see him moving this season unless 1 of 2 things happen:

1. There is a significant sweetener for a non-playoff team to eat all of that salary through next season.

2. An equally uninspiring contract is coming back. If Pens require an upcoming UFA in return, a sweetener will be required to make up the extra year.

This is assuming the pens refuse to retain, so the best option looks like riding out this year and revisiting a Zucker trade in the offseason

 

[YotesFan47]

I think Zucker to the Coyotes for one of their many 2nds would be fine. Not much different than Murray for a 2nd.

No incentive for BA to add Zucker without a pick coming back. We could b a 3rd party to retain salary if needed, but we'd want compensation. I think a 2nd works either way, $2.75m retention slot or $5.5m cap relief.

 

[Jerkbait]

Yeah but a deep playoff team wouldn't need him, so it's irrelevant. There may be some contenders that may want to bolster their LW depth though. Whether it's the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd line is irrelevant.

Not irrelevant at all. I ddint try and dump him cause I know where his value is. Was pointing out he isnt a top 6 on a cup team but there may be a contending team that has an injury or wants insurance.

 

[Jerkbait]

I think Zucker to the Coyotes for one of their many 2nds would be fine. Not much different than Murray for a 2nd.

No issue with that trade at this point. He has to go.

 

[DrDangles]

Would you guys trade him for Gallagher? Gally is still good and his contract is fair now, but it will age poorly IMO. I think his remaining quality years will line up with the remaining quality years for the Pens core though, then the Pens will probably have to rebuild post Crosby/Malkin/Letang and his last 2 or 3 years won't matter. Montreal is in the opposite position where his remaining good years will likely be wasted then he'll be a cap burden when we will hopefully be getting good again.

We would eat Zucker's deal and probably flip with retention next year, then give his spot to a young guy.

I would rather add futures onto Zucker and try to build a deal for Toffoli. The Pens need to be very careful with their cap structure trying to contend during the last few seasons with their core. I like the player and think he would fit the system well, but Gally @6.5 isn't a smart move IMO.

 

[SEALBound]

Not irrelevant at all. I ddint try and dump him cause I know where his value is. Was pointing out he isnt a top 6 on a cup team but there may be a contending team that has an injury or wants insurance.

Maybe, but a deep team could still want him as a bottom 6 wing. He's a great 3LW addition. That doesn't change his views or the desire of a team to pick him up. If there's a top 6 injury, he's a perfect replacement.

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

No incentive for BA to add Zucker without a pick coming back. We could b a 3rd party to retain salary if needed, but we'd want compensation. I think a 2nd works either way, $2.75m retention slot or $5.5m cap relief.

yeah, AZ isn't taking Zucker cause they think he's what they need. zucker , trending down or not, doesn't fit that team at all for another year and a half unless there's an incentive to take him... much less pay out a decent pick for him

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Zucker doesn’t fit in as well in Pittsburgh for the same reason Kessel looked best on his own line away from Sid/Geno. The Pens centers/system prefer to be the puck carriers into the offensive zone.

 

[Jerkbait]

Maybe, but a deep team could still want him as a bottom 6 wing. He's a great 3LW addition. That doesn't change his views or the desire of a team to pick him up. If there's a top 6 injury, he's a perfect replacement.

Here lies the the real in depth problem. He really isn't a third line winger especially on a cup team. Those spots are reserved for hard nosed north south checking guys , see Tampa last year. Zucker doesn't fit that. He doesn't fot that in Pitt either. He is stuck in between being a mediocre top 6 winger and injury fill in while making 3 times too much. His best option is a injure replacement on Toronto Edmonton or an offensive team that needs someone to fill in

 

[Habs Halifax]

What do you have in mind?

I'm afraid to ask. It's not meh futures.