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Certainly few players since Redden and Drury elicit such differing opinions ranging from vitriol to veneration as MZA.
I consider myself an objective Ranger fan so I thought I'd offer my rather long opinion of him.
When he initialized signed I thought that it was a good gamble on the Rangers part. I had seen him in the Olympics and was intrigued.
But based on his size I thought it was just that, a gamble, and was skeptical. For his sake, for the sake of the Rangers success I wanted him to do well. Besides, it was a great story.
After his first two abortive seasons here, I had come to the conclusion that he wasn't an NHL player but one of those guys who would be bested served in the SEL or KHL. His size, he wasn't just small but tiny, was at the heart of reservations. Yes, he was an excellent passer and playmaker with good hands and fine offensive instincts. But he was easily knocked off the puck and his shot was only adequate. My biggest complaint about him was his skating which I thought of as a tick better than average. When you are height-challenged, you need to make up with it by being a fast and quick skater. I was not surprised when he signed with the KHL.
But, what I did regret was that I felt he never really got a legit. shot to prove what he could do in the NHL. To me a legit. shot means to be plugged into the lineup for about a dozen games and being allowed to play without worrying about being sent to the far end of the bench if he made a bad play or not dressing after a bad game. I never felt he got that chance here and regretted that he hadn't.
I though resigning him this year was a good move thinking that he could help our moribund power play and perhaps add some creativity to our offensively challenged team. I didn't envision that he would play regularly but Torts would be selective in picking the spots to use him. I thought of him as sort of a vanity/specialist player not really capable of playing regularly but causing slotting problems as you really couldn't play him on the 3rd and 4th lines.
I have been pleasantly surprised and impressed with what I have seen. He has gotten that shot he never got before and made the most of it.
He seems bigger than he was: obviously not in height but he seems to have added some muscle.
He seems quicker on his skates. His creativity and playmaking ability remains as good as ever. He is now a more complete player.
I think he came over with a different attitude. In his mind he is convinced that he can play here so is playing with confidence. He knows he has nothing to lose and is determined to just play and let the chips fall where they may. If he can't impress Torts, well then, he can always play in Europe. He is playing as if he is unafraid to make mistakes not afraid that he will be benched if he lets a player like Huberdeau go around him the other day.
I've come to the realization that with a player like MZA you need to accept the bad so as to have the good. He is still somewhat of a liability in the defensive end as a result of his size but all the positives about his skillset outweigh the negatives. The Rangers are a better team with him in the lineup.
He has earned the right to be signed to a one-way contract next year and be a part of this team.
He is a fascinating player with a great story. I admit I was wrong about him and enjoy watching him play.
And that is my objective take on MZA.
I consider myself an objective Ranger fan so I thought I'd offer my rather long opinion of him.
When he initialized signed I thought that it was a good gamble on the Rangers part. I had seen him in the Olympics and was intrigued.
But based on his size I thought it was just that, a gamble, and was skeptical. For his sake, for the sake of the Rangers success I wanted him to do well. Besides, it was a great story.
After his first two abortive seasons here, I had come to the conclusion that he wasn't an NHL player but one of those guys who would be bested served in the SEL or KHL. His size, he wasn't just small but tiny, was at the heart of reservations. Yes, he was an excellent passer and playmaker with good hands and fine offensive instincts. But he was easily knocked off the puck and his shot was only adequate. My biggest complaint about him was his skating which I thought of as a tick better than average. When you are height-challenged, you need to make up with it by being a fast and quick skater. I was not surprised when he signed with the KHL.
But, what I did regret was that I felt he never really got a legit. shot to prove what he could do in the NHL. To me a legit. shot means to be plugged into the lineup for about a dozen games and being allowed to play without worrying about being sent to the far end of the bench if he made a bad play or not dressing after a bad game. I never felt he got that chance here and regretted that he hadn't.
I though resigning him this year was a good move thinking that he could help our moribund power play and perhaps add some creativity to our offensively challenged team. I didn't envision that he would play regularly but Torts would be selective in picking the spots to use him. I thought of him as sort of a vanity/specialist player not really capable of playing regularly but causing slotting problems as you really couldn't play him on the 3rd and 4th lines.
I have been pleasantly surprised and impressed with what I have seen. He has gotten that shot he never got before and made the most of it.
He seems bigger than he was: obviously not in height but he seems to have added some muscle.
He seems quicker on his skates. His creativity and playmaking ability remains as good as ever. He is now a more complete player.
I think he came over with a different attitude. In his mind he is convinced that he can play here so is playing with confidence. He knows he has nothing to lose and is determined to just play and let the chips fall where they may. If he can't impress Torts, well then, he can always play in Europe. He is playing as if he is unafraid to make mistakes not afraid that he will be benched if he lets a player like Huberdeau go around him the other day.
I've come to the realization that with a player like MZA you need to accept the bad so as to have the good. He is still somewhat of a liability in the defensive end as a result of his size but all the positives about his skillset outweigh the negatives. The Rangers are a better team with him in the lineup.
He has earned the right to be signed to a one-way contract next year and be a part of this team.
He is a fascinating player with a great story. I admit I was wrong about him and enjoy watching him play.
And that is my objective take on MZA.
I can't agree on much if any of this.
It's a sad state of affair to have Zucc on a top 9? Have you seen the top 9s around the league? There are many very avg hockey players in this league... We have played guys like Boyle and Pyatt and Kreider in our top 9 as an example.
Torts cares about reporters?
The problem is this, people wants to believe that things are black and white. It makes life easier. I don't know how many say that Zucc is so much improved this season, I don't get that. Basically everyone said the exact same thing when he got back last season, everyone liked him and he helped the team. Then he was hurt and didn't resign.
Zucc had Gabby, Cally and Prust ahead of him. He didn't have a good fit at center for him. So he didn't make it, not because he wasn't good enough, but because he wasn't a good fit for us. All while it was obvious that he clearly could make good plays at the NHL level, and in a perfect environment do really well. That's life. That's pro sport for you.
But it seems to mess with people's circles. He couldn't possibly be a ok NHLer since he didn't make it could he?
We shouldn't overrate Zucc. He is what he is. I think he could get hot, but he got his flaws.
quentez
#8 Teemu Legend
SKS
Registered User
Can not see how he does not qualify as a UFA VI unless he gets enough games to pass 80 games played. However, media seems certain he is an RFA so I am not sure tbh
CBA Article 10.1(c)
(c) Group 6 Free Agents.
(i) Means any Player who is age 25 or older who has completed three
(3) or more professional seasons, whose SPC has expired and: (i)
in the case of a Player other than a goaltender, has played less than
80 NHL Games, or (ii) in the case of a goaltender, has played less
than 28 NHL Games (for the purpose of this definition, a
goaltender must have played a minimum of thirty (30) minutes in
an NHL Game to register a game played). For the purposes of the
foregoing, the term professional season shall: (A) for a Player aged
18 or 19, mean any season in which such Player plays in eleven
(11) or more Professional Games (including NHL Regular Season
and Playoff Games, minor league regular season and playoff
games, and games played in any European professional league,
while under an SPC), and (B) for a Player aged 20 or older, mean
any season in which such Player plays in one or more Professional
Games (including NHL Regular Season and Playoff Games, minor
league regular season and playoff games, and games played in any
European professional league, while under an SPC).
(ii) Any Group 6 Player shall, at the expiration of his SPC, become an
Unrestricted Free Agent and shall be completely free to negotiate
and sign an SPC with any Club, and any Club shall be completely
free to negotiate and sign an SPC with such Player, without penalty
or restriction, or being subject to any Right of First Refusal, Draft
Choice Compensation or any other compensation or equalization
obligation of any kind.
Last edited:
darko
Registered User
- Feb 16, 2009
- 70,272
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NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
- 17,032
- 9,018
He was a big key to us getting that goal (Moore to Pyatt to Brad) so it is ironic he did not get a point for that one but did get a point on the other one. This was not his best game nor anyone elses best game (Not even Brad). It was a sloppy pond hockey type game.
fredrikstad
Registered User
As a Norwegian,I was truly embarrassed by the questions from that woman, who knows zip about hockey.
And I don't believe those who question Zuke out there is haters. It's nothing wrong with having doubts about his defensive skills. Boyle gets a lot more hating, and it's not even his false. He does not decide his TOI, Torts do that.
All this said, I'm happy to have a Norwegian player in The NHL, and cross my fingers that he does well.
It's so important for the interest in hockey here in Norway. I know Mats love to be a Rangers, but I wish they trade his rights to a team who will suit him better. A more offensive minded team.
A team who isn't counted as a contender, so he has a couple of years to polish his skills and become a legit NHL'r.
Hope my grammar is understandable
Lets go Rangers. I root for a deep PO run.
fredrikstad
Registered User
Thunderhead
Registered User
Fitzy
Very Stable Genius
- Jan 29, 2009
- 36,322
- 24,087
I can't think of two wingers with less in common, but the advantage to Zucc is that he will cost us about 1/3rd of what Clarkson would.
To be fair to her, she is a very good foreign correspondant in real news, and the only one stationed in USA employed by TV2. And as TV2, she didn't give **** all about anything other than Zuccarello, so there weren't really a point to ask about anything else for her either. Could have been more knowlegeable 'bout hockey? Sure, but her main job is reporting on real world news and following the white house etc.
I don't think she had any effect on Zuccarellos proffessional life, other than a facepalm, and she did report after a lot of games, getting quotes that translated into news articles here in Norway, probably sparking more intrest in Zuccarello than Thoresen ever got on the Flyers, or OKT did in Lumbus.
Dagh
Registered User
- Dec 10, 2007
- 722
- 0
Certainly agree with you on the bolded part, but then OKT's role as a hockey player can't be sold to a wide audience in Norway.
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
I'm going to come across as kinda a jerk here, but I'll reiterate what I said earlier about Zuccarello.
There is absolutely nothing he can do this season to prove to me he's a legitimate NHLer. I've liked what I've seen from him so far, but I've often spent a couple of handfuls of games being impressed by him. My question with him continues to be his ability to maintain it for a longer stretch of time.
I'm not saying that he will not prove it to me. I'm saying he can't this year. There simply isn't enough time in the regular season, and playoffs are a different animal. I hope we re-sign him. It'll be fun to watch him try to prove it next year.
There is absolutely nothing he can do this season to prove to me he's a legitimate NHLer. I've liked what I've seen from him so far, but I've often spent a couple of handfuls of games being impressed by him. My question with him continues to be his ability to maintain it for a longer stretch of time.
I'm not saying that he will not prove it to me. I'm saying he can't this year. There simply isn't enough time in the regular season, and playoffs are a different animal. I hope we re-sign him. It'll be fun to watch him try to prove it next year.
Idlerlee
Registered User
- Apr 19, 2013
- 4,227
- 807
I'd actually prefer him to stay with the Rangers, its where he evidently wants to be and he appears to be generally well liked by his teammates.
Afaik someone mentioned earlier that the Rangers would be offering him a contract, so I guess we will see him here next season as well.
I hope he'll be able to produce something in the next few games though, he's been ok the last 2 matches but they haven't been his best
Afaik someone mentioned earlier that the Rangers would be offering him a contract, so I guess we will see him here next season as well.
I hope he'll be able to produce something in the next few games though, he's been ok the last 2 matches but they haven't been his best
Callagraves
Block shots
- Jan 24, 2011
- 6,373
- 2
SKS
Registered User
Response from capgeek
"All potential Group 6 unrestricted free agents appear as restricted free agents on CapGeek.com until the 80 games-played total becomes mathematically unachievable. Presently, 80 games played remains achievable for Zuccarello."
Placid
Registered User
- Feb 17, 2010
- 5,906
- 339
Correct (provided that 3+7+6, ie 16 games are what he is missing from reaching 80 total)
Its the other way around
If he reaches 80 games, he'll remain an RFA. If he does NOT reach 80 games before the season is over (including playoffs), he'll become an UFA.
Ha, thats my first thought. What a strange comparison.
Anyway, I'd rather have Clarkson. Just as much offense, and much better suited for the NHL game.
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