As it stands Mats Zuccarello has by a distance, been the Rangers best forward this season. This on a team that has raced out to a 12-2-2 record (bordering on historically good for this storied franchise) and on a team that has been a perennial playoff contender for half a decade and counting.
This season Zuccarello has been a scorer of big goals, of lots of goals (on course to smash his career high), his now well documented on ice vision has been in full display and he has been the Rangers best powerplay forward by some distance.
Mats Zuccarello – file photo by Jack Lima
There were concerns – valid ones – that Zuccarello would take some time to find his best form this season after needing months to recover from the scary injury suffered after being knocked out of last season’s playoffs from a Ryan McDonagh shot. Zuccarello has made a mockery of those concerns as the Rangers fanbase are currently seeing the best Zuccarello of all time.
On a team with such quality depth, a team that is running all over the league in any style that’s needed to win on any given night and with two quality linemates (Rick Nash and Derick Brassard) who are yet to truly hit their full strides this season, there is no reason to doubt Zuccarello’s ability to score at a point per game clip all season. That’s All Star calibre production.
One of former Ranger general manager Glen Sather’s best moves in recent seasons – and perhaps during his entire Rangers tenure – will have been the increasingly team friendly contract he gave Zuccarello before this season. Zuccarello signed a four-year $18m deal that gave him a 4.5m cap hit. Zuccarello’s new deal was on the back of 49 and 59 point regular seasons and the Rangers didn’t really have to compromise on salary or term as Zuccarello’s deal is in no way a risk. Zuccarello openly expressed his desire to stay in New York and he took a team friendly deal that looks spectacular right now.
In an era where NHL general manager’s are having to over commit to younger players who have proven themselves increasingly less when they get to sign big money deals, the deal Zuccarello signed promises to be one of the best bargains in the NHL for its entirety. Justin Abdelkader of the Detroit Red Wings is about to sign a seven year deal for what promises to be well over $4m a year.
Mats Zuccarello – file photo by Jack Lima
A solid and loyal foot soldier for the Wings for sure, Abdelkader is a depth player who can contribute all over the line-up but is one who is about to get his team to give him almost a decade of commitment. At 28, Abdelkader has only once gone above 28 points in a season (in ‘14-15) and has neither the production nor playoff experience Zuccarello boasts. Abdelkader isn’t anywhere near the worst example (again, he is a solid player) but is worth mentioning as his new deal is a current hot topic in the NHL.
Zuccarello and Abdelkader are different players. This is obvious. However, when you use Abdelkader as a comparison from a purely financial point of view it shows just how ridiculous and team friendly a contract Zuccarello signed with the Rangers. Zuccarello has become an integral part of the Rangers offense and an integral part of a Stanley Cup contender. Zuccarello’s absence had a huge influence on the Rangers not making back to back Stanley Cup finals last year. He’ll likely have a huge part to play if they’re to make it back to the biggest stage in hockey. Not bad for 4.5m per year in a league full of overpaid players. Not a bad parting gift from Glen Sather.
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