New York Rangers: The final days of Mats Zuccarello as a blue shirt
New York Rangers’ forward Mats Zuccarello is playing at a level which is the non-verbal equivalent of someone yelling “don’t trade me,” at the top of their lungs. Unfortunately, it just is not in the cards.
Ever since joining the New York Rangers full time during the 2013 lockout-shortened season, forward Mats Zuccarello has cemented himself in the hearts of the organization. The diminutive Norwegian plays every single game with his heart on his sleeve and is never going to simply roll over when things look bleak.
The forward’s larger than size personality and style of play are something that made him invaluable during the Rangers’ stretch of success this decade. Since joining the team, Zuccarello has led the team in points every single season but one, the President’s Trophy winning year of 2014-2015 in which Rick Nash turned back the clock one more time.
All the more impressive was Zuccarello’s journey to the Rangers from Norway. Typically, during a Winter Olympics, NHL teams will scout the competition for players not under contract in hopes of bolstering their roster for a potential playoff run without having to give up draft capital.
At age 20, the forward was playing for MODO Hockey Ornskoldsvik of the Sweedish elite league and was chosen to represent Norway in the Winter Games. Following a strong run, the Rangers offered Zuccarello a path to playing in the best league in the world that had some bumps.
In the other ice hockey federations that are not in North America, those organizations play on a larger ice surface which is more conducive to an east-west and finesse style of hockey. Therefore, following Zuccarello agreeing to sign, the team shuttled him around developmental hockey and gave him two different stints at the NHL level.
To add insult to injury, the year in which Zuccarello was finally poised to crack the opening night lineup, 2012-2013, the first half of the season was canceled due to an owner’s lockout. So, the Norwegian played the first half of the year in the KHL and then jumped to the Rangers for the stretch run and postseason.
The run
From the 2011-2012 season to 2014-2015 seasons, the Rangers were amongst the best teams in the entire NHL. In fact, the Rangers won the most postseason games of any team this decade to not win the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, New York was never able to get that one bounce the team needed to prevail in one of those nail biter situations.
Regardless of the lack of a Stanley Cup, Zuccarello is amongst the most crucial Rangers during this stretch. Without the forward orchestrating on the third line alongside Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot, the 2014 team never makes it to the Cup Finals that year. Only the third line on the depth chart, not production, the three forwards were crucial.
As one of the few holdovers from those teams, Zuccarello is the bridge from Henrik Lundqvist to the next generation of Rangers that will lead the team back to the postseason in the years to come. Zuccarello was an integral part of one if not the most successful stretches of Rangers’ hockey post the original six era.
With the trade deadline about three weeks away, Zuccarello has at most seven more games wearing a sweater with a diagonal “Rangers,” going down the chest.
Next. The Rangers blow a game to the Kings 4-3. dark
Now, there won’t be a 36 hanging from the rafters at Madison Square Garden or a plaque at the Hockey Hall of Fame when the prince of Norway hangs up his skates. But, in the waning days of Zuccarello’s time with the Rangers, everyone should “Zuuuuuc,” a little louder every time he touches the puck.