JASON ZUCKER - Left Winger - 27 - $5.50MM Cap Hit - UFA in 2023-2024
LAST UPDATED 8/20/19
While he may have been traded to Pittsburgh until Phil Kessel nixed the deal with his no-trade rights, that shouldn't be a damning indication of how the Wild see Zucker, but instead a glowing compliment on the part of Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford, that he would be willing to give up such a premium scorer like Kessel for Zucker, even though Zucker is coming off of a down season. Zucker has great size, strength, and underrated speed, and he uses that lethal combination of traits to unleash his deadly shot. As a shoot-first player, his overall production will be dependent on the quality of the team he plays for and his overall puck luck, but I can confidently say that Zucker is better than his 42 point showing would suggest. He's a triggerman, and a great one at that, but he needs someone who can put him in the position to score, someone he didn't have this past season. Were he a Penguin, and potentially playing with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, I think we would see an explosion from Zucker, but unfortunately I don't think that will come in Minnesota. I still think he's more of the 30+ goal, 60+ point player he was in 2017-18 than the player he was this past season, but it'll be up to him to prove it. Either way, he's a legitimate top-6 sniper, but it's still up in the air whether he's that true first line force or more of a second line supporting character.
While he may have been traded to Pittsburgh until Phil Kessel nixed the deal with his no-trade rights, that shouldn't be a damning indication of how the Wild see Zucker, but instead a glowing compliment on the part of Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford, that he would be willing to give up such a premium scorer like Kessel for Zucker, even though Zucker is coming off of a down season. Zucker has great size, strength, and underrated speed, and he uses that lethal combination of traits to unleash his deadly shot. As a shoot-first player, his overall production will be dependent on the quality of the team he plays for and his overall puck luck, but I can confidently say that Zucker is better than his 42 point showing would suggest. He's a triggerman, and a great one at that, but he needs someone who can put him in the position to score, someone he didn't have this past season. Were he a Penguin, and potentially playing with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, I think we would see an explosion from Zucker, but unfortunately I don't think that will come in Minnesota. I still think he's more of the 30+ goal, 60+ point player he was in 2017-18 than the player he was this past season, but it'll be up to him to prove it. Either way, he's a legitimate top-6 sniper, but it's still up in the air whether he's that true first line force or more of a second line supporting character.
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