I have a feeling we have not seen the last of MZA. As the season moves along, I believe they will call him up for 4-5 game stretches. Especially if they keep this lead in the conference. Some players are going to need a break and I am sure Torts would like to give some of his "depth" players some time in the NHL just in case they are needed in the playoffs.
Zuccarello isn't an option for this team IMO. He simply is not strong or fast enough to be effective in this system as anything other than a PP specialist. I really like Zuccarello and think he could be successful in the right system, but on a team where defense is the first order of business, and offense comes in the form of counterattack and puck possession, he isn't going to add anything.
Where would he slide in? He's a top-6 or bust player. He isn't going to overtake any of Gaborik, Callahan, Hagelin, or Anisimov. And playing him in the bottom-6 would make not a lick of sense, even over a barely-NHLer John Mitchell, simply because he doesn't fit in such a situation.
Disagree. He moves Hags down. Carl is a very good player but he is not all that creative. Zucc, on the other hand is very creative, sees the ice extremely well and has high end finishing skills. I agree that he should not be in the bottom six but i think he helps us on Richards' line and especially on the PP. Remember he was .5ppg last year with limited ice time. It's not time to give up on him and we need offense. I say give it a shot. We have plenty of dead wood on the 3rd and 4th lines who can sit for a couple of games (Feds?)
Zuccarello isn't an option for this team IMO. He simply is not strong or fast enough to be effective in this system as anything other than a PP specialist. I really like Zuccarello and think he could be successful in the right system, but on a team where defense is the first order of business, and offense comes in the form of counterattack and puck possession, he isn't going to add anything.
Where would he slide in? He's a top-6 or bust player. He isn't going to overtake any of Gaborik, Callahan, Hagelin, or Anisimov. And playing him in the bottom-6 would make not a lick of sense, even over a barely-NHLer John Mitchell, simply because he doesn't fit in such a situation.
Zucc can play on the third line easily. Anisimov and Hagelin played 3rd line for a bunch of games. Duby plays 3rd line. Torts likes to roll 3 lines with scoring. Zucc adds scoring on the third line. If he plays on the 2nd line then Hags or someone else can drop down to 3rd line. Either way, he's more scoring and a world ahead of some other ppl we've got playing.
We nee him, if for no other reason than to get freggin Mitchell of the 2nd PP unit.
What would you like from Mitchell, he is + 14, has 13 points, as 4th line center with limited minutes and very limited linemates , he takes the body, has a good wrist shot and is responsible defensively?
I just don't see a spot for him in the lineup. I think he gets a raw deal from some people, but I think if the Rangers saw him in their plans, they would have brought him up by now. The trade market probably dictated that he was worth more to Hartford's hopes of playing in the post-season than he was to another organization.
I just don't see a spot for him in the lineup. I think he gets a raw deal from some people, but I think if the Rangers saw him in their plans, they would have brought him up by now. The trade market probably dictated that he was worth more to Hartford's hopes of playing in the post-season than he was to another organization.
What I find quite bizarre is how people seem to know what he would look like out there.
He played the first 3 games of the season, 3 games where our ENTIRE team played awful.
So he got sent down, which to me was totally fine as I think he needed it to further develop into a NA style player. Since then he has grown a lot (no, not literally) while playing for the Whale this season.
He is an Alternate captain, he is on the 1st line, he plays PP AND PK, he leads the team in in PPG (1.09), is third in total scoring and 1st in +/-, dispite being out for many games with 3 injuries (concussion, ankle + ankle).
I watch a lot of Whale games and I do not see the defensive issues a lot of people are talking about. Sure, the AHL is not the NHL, and I am not saying he is a defensive dynamo, but does have better D than he did at the beginning of the season, and much better than many give him credit for. His offensive upside is greater than his defensive downside.
My point though,is that many seem to judge his play without even having seen him play for almost 5 months (he was sent down after the loss to the Islanders on OCT 15th), and I find that quite funny to be honest. 5 months is a long time to develop for a rookie, expecially one who didnt grow up playing NA hockey.
Here we have posters suggesting to bring up Parlett and JAM, and at the same times making it seems like they have the intel on MZA. Sorry, but this cracks me up.
When all comes to all NYR needs better scoring and the horrible PP needs a spark. Can MZA fix it? I dont know, but to me it sure would be worth a try. Give him a few games and see what happens, we can always ship him back to the Whale.
Goes right out the window when you ask yourself why his games and minutes were limited.
MZA is an offensive talent - no doubt. This team is built on goaltending, team defense, and grittiness. You might think you're filling a hole by inserting MZA in the lineup, but you're also likely opening another hole because of the things he lacks.
Goes right out the window when you ask yourself why his games and minutes were limited.
His games were limited because he played in the minors until Christmas. If you take a closer look, you'll see that he and Hagelin nearly have the identical TOI/GP.
Another thing to mention, is the fact that Zucca often played with the...lesser talented guys. Actually quite the achievement to manage that many assists playing with EC, WW, Fedotenko and Drury.
i'd love to see him get a shot on the first or second line. wanted wolski to get a shot too. if he does well, if he can pot some goals, that makes the lines beneath him that much stronger as well.
i dont think anyone is doubting that Zuc has offensive taent,he does.using the 42 games as a barometer from last year isnt really a good argument because he faded badly down the stretch.which is the exact reason he isnt up here.
over 82 games he simply cant play the system this team plays which is hard forechecking,board play and being good defensively.
his game isnt any of those things,he is built more for a wide open style run n gun offense,which is why hes a bad fit for the system.
i dont think anyone is doubting that Zuc has offensive taent,he does.using the 42 games as a barometer from last year isnt really a good argument because he faded badly down the stretch.which is the exact reason he isnt up here.
over 82 games he simply cant play the system this team plays which is hard forechecking,board play and being good defensively.
his game isnt any of those things,he is built more for a wide open style run n gun offense,which is why hes a bad fit for the system.
He played 80 games last season, more than he ever played before in his career, and at a higer pace than he was used to. That might have added a bit to the fading. 80 games is a lot for a rookie. It seemed a bit like he really wanted to fit the system, not shying traffic, and that wore him out a bit in the end as well. He got less and less minutes too, that probably tore on his self esteem a bit. But agree that he doesn't fit the system too good as it's maybe just to hard for a small guy to be smashed around like this three nights a week.
It seemed however to me from comparing the camps that he is better conditioned this season. He needs to be given som time for trial and errors if he comes back, but don't really see that happening. Last season he was a bit misused in PP IMO, playing point a lot if I recall. Don't know but my guess is that he will be given another shot before playoff but don't really see him sticking up there unless he makes it impossible for Torts to send him down again. The Swedish tour proved that he doesn't have much leeway from Torts. The boarding alone seemed enough to cement the season after excelling preseason. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxeI7zkXXK8
(On the other hand, him feeling a fix on the team preseason and "at home" in Sweden, I'm not ruling out that he made a locker room joke on Torts expense. Something including Avery or WW's groin and Torts mum, but just a hunch.)
Edit: I just realized the destiny of the two former. Uhu.
Last edited by Tunnelundefaret: 02-29-2012 at 03:34 PM.
Disagree. He moves Hags down. Carl is a very good player but he is not all that creative. Zucc, on the other hand is very creative, sees the ice extremely well and has high end finishing skills. I agree that he should not be in the bottom six but i think he helps us on Richards' line and especially on the PP. Remember he was .5ppg last year with limited ice time. It's not time to give up on him and we need offense. I say give it a shot. We have plenty of dead wood on the 3rd and 4th lines who can sit for a couple of games (Feds?)
Zuccarello would not, nor should he displace Hagelin.
Zuccarello may be more "creative", but Hagelin is faster, stronger, and far more effective.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Killem Dafoe
Zucc can play on the third line easily. Anisimov and Hagelin played 3rd line for a bunch of games. Duby plays 3rd line. Torts likes to roll 3 lines with scoring. Zucc adds scoring on the third line. If he plays on the 2nd line then Hags or someone else can drop down to 3rd line. Either way, he's more scoring and a world ahead of some other ppl we've got playing.
Those 3 players are all good-to-very good defensively and have decent size.
