Confirmed with Link: Wild Sign Zuccarello 5yrs $6m aav

[Northerner]

I must be in the minority I am not crazy about this. Mats is okay, but I don't know about for this team.

Maybe he will be a good fit along a Fiala line, who knows.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Zuccarellos press conference and contract signing.

 

[Minnewildsota]

The whole lizard talk really only reminds me of this:



I hope I remember how to do this.

 

[AJ Thelen]

I'll try and translate it when i get home from work.

 

[DANOZ28]

mr lizard , do you want a hamburger? (guess that movie)

 

[BigT2002]

I'll try and translate it when i get home from work.

Or just use Google Chrome and have it do it for you

- It doesn't mean anything to be with most in Norway. It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't bother me. I am proud to write a five-year-old with one of the coolest teams in the world. It's just a dream to be in the NHL and I'm proud to have five more years. I work out well and feel fit. That's what I'm thinking of. I am proud to have five more years and that I worked to get that contract, says Zucca on VG's question about how it is to sign under Norwegian sport's biggest contract.
He says he received offers from five teams. After the election was made, he got a good feeling.
- Before this week I had not prepared any teams. In my head, I thought it would work with Dallas. When that was not possible, there were some teams that were hot candidates. But basically, it was clear that I have played nine years in the NHL and do not know how many years you have left. Five-year contracts were important, "Zucca" says.
- It seemed like I was the first choice for Minnesota, says the Norwegian star.
The record contract has aroused, but he does not accept the cookie nickname of the buddy:

Zuccarello has played nine seasons in the NHL and left the New York Rangers in February. Then he had been one of the fans' great heroes in the big city on the American East Coast. Then we went to Dallas Stars.
- Minnesota is the closest you come to Norway outside Norway. That means a lot to me, says Zuccarello.

 

[Uberdachen]

"The record contract has aroused, but he does not accept the cookie nickname of the buddy:"

Don't anybody correct this ever, please.

 

[Bazeek]

Or just use Google Chrome and have it do it for you

Well his provincialism will certainly fit right in in Minnesota.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Or just use Google Chrome and have it do it for you

Haha, that's 100% on point.

But i was thinking of the video from the press conference. He said some stuff that isn't written in the article.

 

[TaLoN]

For those worried about the left shot thing, and those who think wingers can easily play both sides... here's Bruce on the subject.

'It was like a Rubik's Cube': Boudreau tries to project next...

“I’ve seen (Zuccarello) do a lot of damage offensively against teams that I’ve been coaching and he’s a left-hand shot, yes, but he plays right wing all the time,” Boudreau said. “So it’s not like a left-hand shot, a left winger trying to play right wing. You know what I mean? It’s not like Nino (Niederreiter when he played for the Wild). It’s not a forced issue type thing.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Zuccarellos press conference and contract signing.

In the video of the press conference he said a lot of stuff we've already heard, but here is what we haven't read or heard before. (At least i don't think i have):

After talking to Fenton about what he had to offer, he called Gaborik to ask him what he thought of the organization and the state. Gaboriks response was that it was a class A organization in a great city with fantastic fans. Demanding, but fantastic. He also said that it's not for nothing that they call it the State of Hockey. People are "hockey crazy" and hockey is the nr 1 sport.

When asked about his jersey number being taken by Seeler he simply responded; I'm not that bothered with what number i wear, you guys (the reporters) can decide for me.
Then one of the reporters tells him that Bob "bought" #72 from Vatrano in exchange of a Rolex watch and free dinner for a year, which made Zuccarello laugh.

Then they went on to sign the contract and he demanded his agent to sign the "i by here witness" dotted line, which resulted in the whole room having a laugh.

 

[TaLoN]

In the video of the press conference he said a lot of stuff we've already heard, but here is what we haven't read or heard before. (At least i don't think i have):

After talking to Fenton about what he had to offer, he called Gaborik to ask him what he thought of the organization and the state. Gaboriks response was that it was a class A organization in a great city with fantastic fans. Demanding, but fantastic. He also said that it's not for nothing that they call it the State of Hockey. People are "hockey crazy" and hockey is the nr 1 sport.

When asked about his jersey number being taken by Seeler he simply responded; I'm not that bothered with what number i wear, you guys (the reporters) can decide for me.
Then one of the reporters tells him that Bob "bought" #72 from Vatrano in exchange of a Rolex watch and free dinner for a year, which make Zuccarello laugh.

Then they went on to sign the contract and he demanded his agent to sign the "i by here witness" dotted line, which resulted in the whole room having a laugh.

Awesome Gaborik is still fond of his time here even if some of the fans hated on him for leaving.

I never blamed him for leaving as DR never have him a reason to stay in the first place with how poorly he ran things...

Now Gaborik is helping sell the place as a great place to play even though he has no direct interest!

 

[DANOZ28]

funny i remember DR offering 8 x 8 mill if memory servs , gabby said i want out. we should have made an offer then traded him the summer before ufa. i ripped the gaborik name off my jersey & replaced with DANO.

 

[TaLoN]

funny i remember DR offering 8 x 8 mill if memory servs , gabby said i want out. we should have made an offer then traded him the summer before ufa. i ripped the gaborik name off my jersey & replaced with DANO.

Gaborik wanted to play for a contender, the Wild made no effort to truly contend until after DR was gone.

That's what I mean when I say DR gave Gaborik no reason to want to stay. Trading for Chris Simon at the trade deadline is not making an effort to contend.

 

[Northerner]

funny i remember DR offering 8 x 8 mill if memory servs , gabby said i want out. we should have made an offer then traded him the summer before ufa. i ripped the gaborik name off my jersey & replaced with DANO.

GaboriGaborik. Is still fave Wild player of all time. I met him outsoutside MN club once and he signed for me. Also met his sister and gf outside the freight house in Stillwater and talked for min with them too lol.

 

[Hellion]

Don't like this deal for the Wild, or Zucc. Terrible for Zucc actually, signing for a team that should be rebuilding.
As a Norwegian, still waiting for the first ever Norwegian Stanley Cup winner, its sad that our one great player choose money and term over chances to win a cup.
That said I'll still support Zucc, he is a truely fantastic person and hocky player.

 

[MrHockey36]

I would not be concerned at all about the 5 years length of the contract. He will be 36 years old in the end of season 2024. I think he will even able to play a couple of more seasons after that. He takes good care of his body and has improved every year since 2010

 

[Pistachio]

Yeah I mean here's a guy who's played nearly 10 years in the NHL and has had growth nearly every one of those years. People kept saying he should only get short deals 7 years ago

 

[57special]

Yeah I mean here's a guy who's played nearly 10 years in the NHL and has had growth nearly every one of those years. People kept saying he should only get short deals 7 years ago

Hockey players don't get better as they age into their 30's, never mind their mid 30's. At best, you can hope they decline at a slower rate than most. Suter and Staal are examples of guys who have done well in their 30's. Both were much better players than Zucarrello at their peak, so they have more room to fall, and still be good. They also play positions that are slower to age than wing.
I fully expect this contract to be a dog in it's final two years, as he battles injury and/or decline. Zucarello is not immune to time.

 

[2Pair]

Hockey players don't get better as they age into their 30's, never mind their mid 30's. At best, you can hope they decline at a slower rate than most. Suter and Staal are examples of guys who have done well in their 30's. Both were much better players than Zucarrello at their peak, so they have more room to fall, and still be good. They also play positions that are slower to age than wing.
I fully expect this contract to be a dog in it's final two years, as he battles injury and/or decline. Zucarello is not immune to time.

Blake Wheeler and Phil Kessel both say that you're wrong. You're also wrong in saying that it's harder to "age" as a winger than it is to do as a center. Nobody knows how Zucarello will age with this contract so spending time worrying about it is pretty much worthless.

 

[Webster]

Zuccarello said a couple of days ago that he feels in better shape and stronger today than he did when he was 25.
So there you go...

 

[Jaakarh]

Zuccarello said a couple of days ago that he feels in better shape and stronger today than he did when he was 25.
So there you go...

Yep. Many players who are waiting a big pay day lament how they have lost a step and were so much faster when they were 23.

The NHL had last season 13 wingers that are 35-years or older this year and only two of those (Parise and Williams) could break 20 goals. It is quite a miracle if a winger is a major contributor at that age anymore. Makes you actually appreciate Parise's 28 goals and 61 points from last year quite a bit. On the other hand, it does not bode well for the Wild if we need to rely on his scoring many years more because the age will inevitably catch him soon.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Good thing he’s got 3 years until he’s 35 then.

 

[BagHead]

Zuccarello said a couple of days ago that he feels in better shape and stronger today than he did when he was 25.
So there you go...

To be fair, Zach Parise said that before last season, as well. Lots of players say it, and probably mean it, but even with being built up bigger and stronger than when they were younger they wear down earlier into the season than they did when they were younger. Kids just bounce back quicker than men. Personally, I think the contract will be... fine. Not great, nor terrible, just fine. And that sucks because Zuccarello's been one of my favorite players for while now.

 

[TaLoN]

To be fair, Zach Parise said that before last season, as well. Lots of players say it, and probably mean it, but even with being built up bigger and stronger than when they were younger they wear down earlier into the season than they did when they were younger. Kids just bounce back quicker than men. Personally, I think the contract will be... fine. Not great, nor terrible, just fine. And that sucks because Zuccarello's been one of my favorite players for while now.

Wayne Gretzky once said that when he entered the league he could do 9 pushups, but score 92 goals, when he retired he could score 9 goals but do 92 pushups.