mats zuccarello

For nine seasons, Mats Zuccarello brought his unique brand of hockey to Broadway. Small, fiesty, and incredibly skilled, the winger won over fans pretty quickly, enjoying a breakout season in 2013-2014 while partnered with Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot. That was the start of five straight seasons with 50 points, six if you include his 50 point pace in 2018-2019.

But as expected, with the Rangers rebuilding, Zuccarello represented a primary trade chip, and he was sent to Dallas for what turned into second and third round picks. In 509 games with the Rangers, Zuccarello put up a line of 113-239-352.

For Zuccarello, it wasn’t just the stat line. It was his fierceness on the ice. The willingness to go toe-to-toe with Zdeno Chara. The creativity and physicality. The vision and passing. He was a pure joy to watch on the ice in New York for those nine years. In Alain Vigneault’s offensively leaning system, he flourished as a true two-way player, dangerous in all three zones.

Zuccarello is sorely missed by the fans, the one player that was beloved by all.

Wild Lines

Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Mats Zuccarello
Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Kevin Fiala
Jordan Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Luke Kunin
Ryan Donato-Victor Rask-Ryan Hartman

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matthew Dumba
Carson Soucy-Brad Hunt

PP1: Parise-Koivu-Fiala-Suter-Spurgeon
PP2: Zucker-Staal-Zuccarello-Hunt-Dumba

Alex Stalock gets the start.

Rangers Lines

Artemi PanarinRyan StromeJesper Fast
Chris KreiderFilip Chytil-Pavel Buchnevich
Brendan LemieuxBrett HowdenKaapo Kakko
Tim GettingerGreg McKeggBrendan Smith

Libor HajekJacob Trouba
Brady SkjeiTony DeAngelo
Ryan LindgrenAdam Fox

PP1: Panarin-Chytil-Buchnevich-Kreider-DeAngelo
PP2: Kakko-Strome-Lemieux-Trouba-Fox

PK Forwards: Fast, Kreider, Strome, Howden, Lemieux
PK Defense: Skjei, Trouba, Staal Smith

Henrik Lundqvist gets the start.

Scratches: Mika Zibanejad (concussion), Marc Staal (ankle)

Crazy Prediction: No one cries.

Game time is 7pm.

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