He has every right to state his mind. And the coach and GM have every right not to play someone they feel don't live up to their standards.
He's basically stating:
"They sucked and then I came in and made it better"
"I's not Slats' fault. It's the coach."
"I did nothing to earn his distrust and still he doesn't trust me"
If I'm the coach or GM I can accept a certain amount of criticism, even in the media, but this is over the top. Most likely he's done as a Ranger. Shame.
Haha. If the Rangers canīt handle this, they donīt deserve to have a player like him. It would be so childish to punish him for this that it is difficult to find any suitable words to describe it. Zukeīs loyalty to the club has been tremendous for 2 years. He deserves better.
IMO the Rangers should either give him a one way deal and either trade him or use him. Or, they should let him go as an UFA 1. july. If they give him a two way just to block him from playing for another NHL team, itīs a shame.
Don't see the Rangers signing him again after comments like that. I don't blame MZA for feeling that way in the least, but he should've kept that to himself IMHO. I think the Rangers are going to lose Feds, Mitchell, maybe Prust and add Kreider. I think there would've been room for MZA.
The problem for zuke is that he was made the scapegoat after his first game in Sweden last season and the team looked piss poor...Then some players came up and played far better and became better and more important to the team than him...
I still feel there's a 25% chance he'll get an offer from NYR with due time, as this "attitude" just shows he has passion,balls and confidense needed to play more than 10 games...
I'm 99% sure that he will be a bargain NHL-success for the right team. People seem to forget that he was the third best player in TOI/P in his debut season in NHL (only Cally and Gaborik were better).
He had better stats than MSL in his first season, but it wasn't good enough for Rangers. So he's left. As far as I remember he's not the first Ranger who becomes a star somewhere else. And he'll be a star.
I understand him fully. He is a muche better hockeyplayer than Hagelin, Anisimov, Boyle, Kreider, Dubinsky, Mitchell and still he just did not get many chances. Go to KHL Zucca, NHL is not that great anymore. We would love to see you in the World Championship again.
I like MZA but to say he is better than the guys bolded is completely ludicrous. Being the MVP of an inferior league doesn't make him a better hockey player.
I don't really care what this newspaper quotes say. I never believe stuff overseas completely anyway.
I dont see the harm in signing Zuke to a 1 yr 850K salary. Just say fine you get your one way deal but you have to sign for the Qualifying offer. He should take that
If he makes the team which he should to help the PP then great and if not he should have trade value or be picked up on waivers
Going into next yr I think they should go for Parise and if they miss out on him look to move a package of Dubinsky, Anisimov, pick/prospect for a top LW. If they can find one at that cost or available at all
If they do nothing but sign there own its not the worst thing in the world. I look to resign Prust and let Feds and Mitchell walk.
I imagine they go for Gaustad but he will get a ton on the open market.
Its obvious that not being a Ranger this season really hurt Zooks. How could it not when you look at how many times he was passed up for lesser players despite the coaches and scouts saying he was the guy that deserved it. I'm not concerned that he was upset about not playing. I'd be concerned if he wasn't upset about not playing. The kid has huge heart. He believes he can play in the NHL and just wants a legit chance to prove himself. Despite limited minutes on 3rd/4th lines he has still been a .5ppg scorer. That shows he can play in this league.
I bet it will all depend on who they let go and who they sign july 1st.
If all of mitchell, boyle, prust (hopefully not), dubinsky, feds so and so are not here and they only bring in like 1-2 guys, Then i don't see why they wouldnt sign him to a 1-way contract.
If we were smart we would package a bunch of our redundant mediocre players for a star player like Nash or Kessel. Then we can use Zooks to fill one of the empty spots.
If we were smart we would package a bunch of our redundant mediocre players for a star player like Nash or Kessel. Then we can use Zooks to fill one of the empty spots.
Ahhhh but which team is so desperately short of mediocre, redundant players
Ahhhh but which team is so desperately short of mediocre, redundant players
Depends on each teams definition and situation. I could see Step and and AA as 20 goal centers as part of a package for Nash. Or Duby. They are all young. All centers. All capable of 20 goals.
If he's still a Ranger in the fall, I'd be surprised.
He's very talented, but I don't think he's proved that he can handle a regular NHL shift. Perhaps he'd be a better fit on a team with more size in the line up.
I like MZA but to say he is better than the guys bolded is completely ludicrous. Being the MVP of an inferior league doesn't make him a better hockey player.
Look at their production. MZA would produced more than them. Maybe not more goals than Kreider but he would crush all these players in assists if he got to play the same amount of icetime. But then again Torts represent a extremely defensive hockeystyle and it does not suit Zuccarello at all
Depends on each teams definition and situation. I could see Step and and AA as 20 goal centers as part of a package for Nash. Or Duby. They are all young. All centers. All capable of 20 goals.
Stepan and Anisimov are mediocre, redundant players?
Look at their production. MZA would produced more than them. Maybe not more goals than Kreider but he would crush all these players in assists if he got to play the same amount of icetime. But then again Torts represent a extremely defensive hockeystyle and it does not suit Zuccarello at all
No, he wouldn't unless he went on a skating and strength regimen. He is knocked off the puck far too easily. Also, he is not as defensively responsible as the other players mentioned. Unless you are producing like Phil Kessel, you don't get a pass on your defensive zone deficiencies. Statistics never tell the whole story, especially if you are extrapolating from such a small sample size such as Zucc's.
I think it would be a waste to let Zucc go. We put in 2 years developing his North American game and from what we saw upon his call up and before his injury, he's ready to go. Put him on a third line with Stepan and Hagelin and give him time on the PP and I think we could see a 15G 35A season out of him.
