New York Rangers found unlikely hero in Zuccarello

For the past several years, Mats Zuccarello has been the heart and soul of the New York Rangers. But it was a long and winding road to get where he is today.

The New York Rangers found an unlikely hero in Mats Zuccarello. A diminutive player from a country with few NHL success stories, Zuccarello has blossomed into a legitimate star on Madison Square Garden ice.

His journey from the rinks of Norway to the world’s most famous arena was a non-linear path filled with peaks and valleys. The fact that he’s still playing today is a miracle in itself.

As of December 10th 2017, Zuccarello leads the team in points. If he finishes the season in that spot, it will be the fourth time in the last five that he’s done so.

An underdog

When the New York Rangers signed Zuccarello as a free agent in 2010, there were several questions surrounding the move. Translating his skill set from international play to the NHL wasn’t a given.

Sure, Zuccarello had a stellar performance in the Olympics. He’d also just finished a spectacular season in the Swedish Elite League, scoring 64 points and being selected as league MVP.

But he was small, just 5’8″. He played a creative, east-west european style of hockey. That didn’t fit with then-coach John Tortorella’s hard-nosed, grinding style of offense that was content with winning games 2-1.

Despite scoring 23 points in his first season with the Rangers, Zuccarello found himself relegated to the AHL after a cup of coffee in the show. He only got 10 games with the Rangers during the 2011-12 season, and left for Europe.

That decision could have robbed the Rangers of their newest alternate captain.

The return of a fan-favorite

The New York Rangers finally swayed Zuccarello to return for the lockout-shortened 2013 season. He sparkled, scoring 10 points in 15 games before adding seven more during the playoffs.

It was with the arrival of Alain Vigneault as Head Coach that Zuccarello truly got his chance. The Norwegian blossomed under a coach that allowed him to be creative in the offensive zone. He’s been a fixture on the Ranger power play ever since.

During the Rangers’ 2014 season, the Norwegian winger found chemistry with Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot. Zuccarello eventually finished with a team-best 59 points. Their line was the driving force in the post season that culminated in a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Zuccarello won the prestigious Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award that season. The fans picked Zuccarello as the Ranger who most went “above and beyond the call of duty.”

The forward’s 2014-15 season made him into the player he is today. He saw his regular season numbers drop, and his life changed forever during the first round of the playoffs. He was struck in the head by a Ryan McDonagh slap shot, fracturing his skull.

The Rangers would go on to lose in the Eastern Conference Final, Zuccarello’s scoring prowess sorely missed.

But in exemplary fashion, Zuccarello fought back. Despite a scary few days in the hospital and a temporary loss of speech, he forged ahead.

The result was a career-best 61 points in 2015-16, which once again lead the team.

Zuccarello reached 59 points for the second time in his career this past season which led the team. Zuccarello’s consistent scoring and play making ability enabled New York to make a solid playoff run before bowing out in the second round.

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Now, a third of the way through the 2017-18 season, Zuccarello has three Steven McDonald Awards under his belt. His dazzling playmaking is a hallmark of any Rangers game. And, with the departures of Derek Stepan and Dan Girardi, his dedication and his skill have earned him an ‘A’ on his sweater.

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