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Mats Zuccarello

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I'm struck by how improved his skating is, and in the back of my mind, I have the knowledge that MSL broke out offensively at age 27.

With this offensively deprived team, and the lack of solid free agents, I think its a no-brainer to offer him a new contract.

Buy out Richards this offseason. Brassard and Stepan can be our top two centers. Spend the money on Jagr for one season, and go hard after Malkin next offseason.
 
Bleed Ranger Blue said:
Hes not average. You're just lying to yourself if you think that.

What Huburdeau did to him last night does not happen to average defensive players.
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Yea your right, cause players never get burned on the ice by a great move.



I guess the truth is out according to you, Pronger was not even an average defenseman since he let that happen.

edit - Boyler beat me :laugh:
 
Bleed Ranger Blue said:
Hes not average. You're just lying to yourself if you think that.

What Huburdeau did to him last night does not happen to average defensive players.
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Kidding right? Huberdeau made a great skilled move around Zucc. It happens. Zucc is not in there for D. Hes in there to create O, with his passing and skill. YOU TAKE THAT.....especially since we don't have much SKILL with this team SANS a Nash.

Huberdeau (who leads all rookie scorers with 14 btw) could of easily put that move on Cally or Nash and no one would say ****. So please.....:sarcasm:

THIS team.....the way it is, with that Idiot torts on the bench, is better with Zuccarello. Nash has been terrible defensively lately as well. Point is....you can put up with their D lapses, at least a good team should be able to, as long as they create offense, which is what they are here to do. Like I said before.....look at a guy like Jeff Carter. He he terrible defensively....but the Kings don't complain about him, since he has 25 Goals. A good team compensates and covers the few D-lapses on their offensive forwards. Plain and Simple
 
We're really going to compare that play to the Pronger/Dawes play, huh? Geez, no wonder why a ton of you dont understand/respect the defensive side of the pick.

The Pronger play came almost immediately off the confusion of a turnover.

The Zuccarello play was a standard rush where he had PLENTY of time to read the play. He apparently decided that getting to the trailer late and making a lazy stick check was the right course of action.

Why is there a need to inflate Zuccarello's offense prowess and gloss over real issues he has on the defensive end? Is it because hes small and easy to root for? Because seriously, Im just trying to evaluate a player without any bias here.
 
Some posters are doing the whole Fox News debate in here. Arguing extreme points to shift the "truth is somewhere in the middle" towards their own position.

I think zuccarello hasn't peaked, and that he'll continue to get better each year until his early thirties.

Also, to comment on the Nash thing. If he weren't here, AA and Dubi would, and they might have combined for 15 goals or so in the Rangers system. Or other players that would have shared the TOI Nash would have voided.
 
Bleed Ranger Blue said:
We're really going to compare that play to the Pronger/Dawes play, huh? Geez, no wonder why a ton of you dont understand/respect the defensive side of the pick.

The Pronger play came almost immediately off the confusion of a turnover.

The Zuccarello play was a standard rush where he had PLENTY of time to read the play. He apparently decided that getting to the trailer late and making a lazy stick check was the right course of action.

Why is there a need to inflate Zuccarello's offense prowess and gloss over real issues he has on the defensive end? Is it because hes small and easy to root for? Because seriously, Im just trying to evaluate a player without any bias here.
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I understand the defensive side of the puck. I have been defending Boyle on here for a year. However, you stated that doesn't happen to average defensive players. It does all the time. They are split second decisions.

MZA is also a solid forechecker and pocket picker all over the ice.

Is he going to win a Selke? No, of course not. Is he going to be a PKer? No. The Rangers have enough of those types of players. I fail to understand why it is not a good idea for this team to have a supremely skilled player who creates flexibility throughout the line-up and contributes on the score-sheet.

I am not comparing him directly to Briere as Danny has proven he has a ton of offense in him, but Briere is a BAD defensive player and has done just fine for himself. Another small forward with a ton of skill.
 
anofsti said:
Some posters are doing the whole Fox News debate in here. Arguing extreme points to shift the "truth is somewhere in the middle" towards their own position.

I think zuccarello hasn't peaked, and that he'll continue to get better each year until his early thirties.

Also, to comment on the Nash thing. If he weren't here, AA and Dubi would, and they might have combined for 15 goals or so in the Rangers system. Or other players that would have shared the TOI Nash would have voided.
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Some people are making an informed judgment based on what they've seen during his NHL tenure thus far on both sides of the puck.

Others, like yourself, are basing your opinions on hope that he will become a more productive player.
 
NYR Boyler87 said:
I understand the defensive side of the puck. I have been defending Boyle on here for a year. However, you stated that doesn't happen to average defensive players. It does all the time. They are split second decisions.

MZA is also a solid forechecker and pocket picker all over the ice.

Is he going to win a Selke? No, of course not. Is he going to be a PKer? No. The Rangers have enough of those types of players. I fail to understand why it is not a good idea for this team to have a supremely skilled player who creates flexibility throughout the line-up and contributes on the score-sheet.

I am not comparing him directly to Briere as Danny has proven he has a ton of offense in him, but Briere is a BAD defensive player and has done just fine for himself. Another small forward with a ton of skill.
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I never said to take him out of the lineup. Im saying I dont think hes a difference maker. And you need difference makers on a contending team. Hes fine for just another mediocre Ranger squad trying to squeak into the playoffs.

When he produces offensively to Danny Briere levels, he can miss all the assignments he wants. Wake me when that happens.
 
Bleed Ranger Blue said:
We're really going to compare that play to the Pronger/Dawes play, huh? Geez, no wonder why a ton of you dont understand/respect the defensive side of the pick.

The Pronger play came almost immediately off the confusion of a turnover.

The Zuccarello play was a standard rush where he had PLENTY of time to read the play. He apparently decided that getting to the trailer late and making a lazy stick check was the right course of action.

Why is there a need to inflate Zuccarello's offense prowess and gloss over real issues he has on the defensive end? Is it because hes small and easy to root for? Because seriously, Im just trying to evaluate a player without any bias here.
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Cmon you get the reason for the use of this example of course each play is different and needs to be dissected on its own but thats the point they're making. People are using this one play to attack Zuke when his D play for his career has certainly not been that bad. people are pointing how ridiculous this is bty showing how any1 can be beat on any given play. The irony is that this post here is doing exactly what those you are argueing with are doing.
 
anofsti said:
I think zuccarello hasn't peaked, and that he'll continue to get better each year until his early thirties.
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Players start to decline once they hit their early 30's,not get better.If you mean you think he is going to get better yearly until his early 30's,i disagree.I think what we see from him now is the best he will ever be.

We still dont know if he can handle the full wear and tear of an 82 game season either and his defensive shortcomings are a concern
 
Boyler has it. It's easy to get good defensive forwards. Powe, Boyle, Fedotenko, the list goes on and they are not hard to come by.

It is a lot harder to get an offensive player. This team's offense being what it is, we can afford a defensive liability at the forward position. We had Prucha for a few years. Colorado had Svatos. ECT.
 
Fitzy said:
I'm struck by how improved his skating is, and in the back of my mind, I have the knowledge that MSL broke out offensively at age 27.

With this offensively deprived team, and the lack of solid free agents, I think its a no-brainer to offer him a new contract.
Click to expand...

His improvement in skating is impressive. He is now looking to use his speed the minute he gets the puck on the wing. I like what I see!

NYR Boyler87 said:
It happened to Chris Pronger by Nigel Dawes. I disagree.
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The bashing this kid gets from his haters is not going to be stopped by your logic. At 25 years of age playing in a foreign land on a $700k a year salary he is supposed to be a combination of Cam Neely in his prime on offense mixed in with Scott Stevens in his prime on defense. Anything less is a player not worth having.
 
NickyFotiu said:
His improvement in skating is impressive. He is now looking to use his speed the minute he gets the puck on the wing. I like what I see!



The bashing this kid gets from his haters is not going to be stopped by your logic. At 25 years of age playing in a foreign land on a $700k a year salary he is supposed to be a combination of Cam Neely in his prime on offense mixed in with Scott Stevens in his prime on defense. Anything less is a player not worth having.
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So people that notice his defense isnt very good are now haters.

Typical HF logic
 
What I do not fully understand is why he is such a polarizing player to the fanbase?

No other prospect has received this amount of love/hate.
 
Fitzy said:
What I do not fully understand is why he is such a polarizing player to the fanbase?

No other prospect has received this amount of love/hate.
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I do not hate him,but i do wonder how he will fare over a full 82 game season defensively while getting pounded daily.

No one questions his offensive ability,its the other side of the puck their are legit concerns over.
 
mrmovies779 said:
So people that notice his defense isnt very good are now haters.

Typical HF logic
Click to expand...

The kid has only been on the ice for 2 regular goals against in 10 games. He back checks like crazy. He is often the first guy back out of all the forwards. He never just quits when the puck goes the other way unlike some other Rangers forwards. When posters who bashed him long before he was signed now only focus on a couple of hiccups while choosing to ignore the good he has also done then yes they are the definition of haters.
 
NickyFotiu said:
The kid has only been on the ice for 2 regular goals against in 10 games. He back checks like crazy. He is often the first guy back out of all the forwards. He never just quits when the puck goes the other way unlike some other Rangers forwards. When posters who bashed him long before he was signed now only focus on a couple of hiccups while choosing to ignore the good he has also done then yes they are the definition of haters.
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Those few hiccups get magnified even more in the playoffs.Its hard not to wonder how he will be on the defensive side of the puck in critical games.Its not hating,its being reasonable.

If you choose to only gush over his offense,thats your choice,but i prefer to watch both sides of the puck and his defense is just not very good.
 
Disclaimer - I am neither a Zucc lover or hater.

That said, I am happy with his play given what he is getting paid - he has brought some creativity to an offensively starved team that desperately needs help on offense. As for his defensive play, I'd like to throw a couple of things into the sauce.

1) Not many (if any) NHL teams ice a roster containing 21 skaters that are all solid 2 way players.

2) Positioning can be taught. Hustle, heart, and the desire to win can't.
 
mrmovies779 said:
Those few hiccups get magnified even more in the playoffs.Its hard not to wonder how he will be on the defensive side of the puck in critical games.Its not hating,its being reasonable.

If you choose to only gush over his offense,thats your choice,but i prefer to watch both sides of the puck and his defense is just not very good.
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I am pretty sure that you can analyze any player like that, no?
 
Really happy he's back. One of my favorite Rangers to watch. He is easily one of our most creative players on the ice. Defensively he's been fine and his skating has really improved since his last tenure with us. He makes things happen on the ice, it was only a matter of time before the points started to accumulate. Not sure why there is some bias against him when since his return he has easily been one of our best players. Even when the points weren't adding up at first he was still making plays.
 
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