Trade Deadline Buzz
Scouting Jason Zucker
Position: LW/RW | Age 28
Cap Hit: $5.5MM | Signed Thru: 2022-2023
44 GP – 14 Goals – 15 Assists – 29 Assists |
The Penguins interest in Jason Zucker has been no secret. He was obviously part of the blocked Phil Kessel trade and Wild GM Bill Guerin has known since he took the job that it was only going to be a matter of time before Rutherford would take another crack at acquiring Zucker.
— Call it multiple tries to acquire Zucker as of now —
As the Wild pulled within two points of a wildcard spot with Friday night’s win vs the Dallas Stars, Guerin has been weighing whether to the Zucker situation to the summer where the opportunity for more teams involved will be there and as mentioned here this week, there’s been pause about doing business with a team you just came for, something Guerin, sources say, has been getting advice on from others.
Nonetheless, what makes Zucker a consensus No. 1 long-term target on the Penguins trade board?
Despite the risk of taking on a $5.5 million cap hit for another three seasons, and it’s a big risk, what has drawn Zucker to the Penguins is how he can impact a game away from the puck if he’s not producing offensively. Scouts have called him a perfect Mike Sullivan type of player.
Watching Zucker closely Friday night against the Dallas Stars, a team coaches and scouts feel is built for a deep postseason run, the attributes of puck pursuit and keeping plays alive stood out all night.
Here was a sequence on three straight shifts in the second period where Zucker excelled in all those areas.
#1. Here Zucker wins a foot race on a dump-in and against a much bigger/stronger player in Roman Polak…. he shields his body to create a cycle that leads to a scoring chance.
#2. Moments later near the end of the same shift, Zucker is assertive in possessing a loose puck near the blue line and his first instinctive move isn’t to just dump the puck in. Instead, Zucker shows patience, pivots to create time and space, making a cross-ice pass to Ryan Suter that nearly sets up a great scoring chance but Suter can’t connect to an open teammate in front.
#3. Zucker’s next shift with around five minutes left in the second, it was more of the same, winning a foot race to gain possession along the wall, in addition to protecting [hide] the puck well to create another cycle opportunity.
#4. The Following shift with under two minutes remaining in the second period, was another sequence that stood out along the wall. Here Zucker gets to a loose puck, makes a quick chip down low to Koivu and the Wild get in on the cycle again.
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Watching the Buffalo – Ducks game. Not a soul on this Buffalo team I would want. Conversely, Lindholm sure would be nice. 1st, Pettersson and Bjugstad.
The XFL kickoff is such a good idea. Needs to be adopted by the NFL
Didn’t watch. What did they do different?
ZAR could be used in trade ideas..
our 4th line sucks Sully benched them 1/2 the game…..we wont survive in the playoffs
The forth line sucks bc of all the injuries. All of the balance has been thrown off completely. Gally does have to go though.
Well getting Kahun back would help!..
As of Today now Hornqvist is out long term …jesus….fUCK
Rutherford better get to work…
The Bluegar Tanev line could be so good without that anchor ZAR.
Tanev should be higher in the line-up third line at least….
Thank God for Jack Johnson. Could imagine having to rely on Pettersson.
Kris etang and Johnson are awful together. Florida guy splits right between them with 3 seconds left walked in all alone didn’t get a good shot off……..our defense is crumbling..Jarry was terrific
Sully as pissed at that defensive brain cramp with 3 seconds something we have been saying all along letang is a mess
Johnson has to play defense for two when he is on the ice with Letang. They should give him two sticks and just let him twirl around really fast.
Yes he does at least Johnson was really trying hard extending his stick letang coasted.
This off season its time to move letang finally…he has too many brain cramps for a talented player.
Montreal has always loved him send him there.
Next season we will have DuMoulin Petersson Marino Addison is coming real soon and we can add.
plus move that salary..
I see playoff MAF started tonight.
MAF isn’t playing well right now…looked average
Watched a lot of Devils game Palmieri looks really good. Would be a nice fit.
I’ve seen him play he has become a good player through out the years very underrated player
Yes he does…..he is better than Zucker and cheaper… He goes to the net, deflects pucks, and plays a solid overall game.
I don’t think they are going to trade him. I would love to get him.
Wow leafs were Garbage in 3rd period and overtime.
Kovy stocks going up
Well, at least they scored a PP, finally.
Thank god the Pens fans showed up tonight to fill the arena. Florida’s attendance is a joke.
Those are Crosby bandwagon fans like Npl. But Npl Cant even afford to go to the games.
I do not understand why they still have a team there.
You would think with all the snowbirds down there they could fill the arena.
Snowbirds are older people, they don’t care about that stuff.
I thought it meant anybody who moved down there.
Like Npl?
No Snowbirds are suppose to be people that go down there for the winter. Like half of Canada for some reason.
That’s it. Thanks for the clarification.
Yeah there is a huge population from Quebec that goes to Florida that’s why when you watch habs vs Panthers or Tampax. You see full of Canadiens jerseys. Tonight’s penguins fans were not from Pittsburgh they were mostly bandwagon fans like npl that discover Hockey since 2016
They cant drive after dark.
Now you know why Russians love to go play on Florida teams because no one cares.
Bobrawsky been Garbage this year. Yet no one cares
Oh let’s not forget npl suckss so does the democRATS
Who is Bobrawsky? Lol
Usually I am down in Florida this time of the year and always make these two games. This year didn’t go. However have never ever had an issue getting good tickets. Most of Florida pro teams are like this. Sparsely attended. Never could understand why the NHL keeps pouring effort into growing the base there. It just doesn’t seem to be catching on. Seems you could draw a line at Carolina and don’t bother going further south on the eastern sea board.
It did not work in Atlanta, twice, why would it work in Fla with two teams? They should have just moved them to Seattle or Vegas.
Few teams should not exist Tampax,Panthers, coyotes, canes,stars,Kings and devils
Dude the Kings sell out all the time..
Staples center is usually rocking..
The Dallas Stars are fairly decent in attendance especially if they make the playoffs
Kings only started to sellout Because team was in playoffs for many years
Even Florida Panthers sells out when they make the playoffs.
The teams you named the minute they are not good their fans turn on them. And Kings and stars are one of them along with the other. California teams look at ducks Arena and sharks how empty it is
I said it before I say it again to me the only loyal fans for American teams are wild,Bruins Rangers flyers and sabres.
The rest the fans would stop watching minute team is not good
I live in Los Angeles and their attendance is great! period
the Kings are super popular here…Ducks Ehhhhhhh!!!
Pittsburgh has an amazing amount of sellouts in a row…..
You do realize Dallas is third in the league in attendance and Tampa is fifth.
The Panthers and Coyotes should be moved. Move the Panthers to Hartford and give those cry baby’s in Quebec back there team. Maybe with an extra team Canada may actually win something other then Curling.
interesting how that team stays afloat financially. Yet they trade guys like Brobrosky
I wonder as well. Every time I see their highlights from a home game, the place looks like it’s half empty.
Great job by Letang on the Hoffman goal.
Letang scores. Penguins are up 2-0 vs Florida Npl turned off his TV already.
Pick up Josh Manson and Ryan Miller. Trade Murray for top 6 LW
Ryan miller ahahaha I tough fleury was a choker
Agree with half…you can’t trade Murray now…off season bro..
JFC… I see why you had to jump on the JJ play to try and make a case for JJ>Pettersson… i mean I’ve been vocal about how well JJ has been this year vs last but that don’t make him better than Pettersson but apparently you have to not be a moron to see that. The kind of moron that would trade Murray and DeSmith, as you’ve clearly suggested in a couple of posts and in their place add the significantly past his prime Miller… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA even sam knows it’s a joke… that’s scary for you to be outwitted by… Read more »
What a fun match the first XFL game
saw a bit not too awful some former NFL player Caldwell jones QB dc!
Its a league between college and NFL
Yes there is former NFL players
This version XFL looks better then then previous XFL also like the idea they do it right after super bowl no need to compete. Just fun League of football lovers
Love the crowd they are into it
Any of you watching XFL
#wannabeAmerican
didn’t he just get demoted to the 4th line?
I would argue that the Pens need D depth now. With Marino on the shelf for a bit.
They do need D even without the Marino jury (2-3 week time table)
Turnover Letang
lead foot Johnson number # 1 pairing yikes
I like the player but not the contract. Overpaid for production
I like Zucker but I like Palmeri of the Devils better..
This year and next year at $4.75 and he scores just as much as Zucker..
Yup
Is there any sort of truck to logging in on this site?
If I go thru Twitter I can log in, if I go thru my browser it continues to not log me in.
This is why I stopped subscribing here because it was constant problems
I never had a problem. Just doesn’t accept your credentials?
I had to clear the cache, and try a few more times. It finally logged in. Then for an hour the server kept crashing. Smh
Not high on Zucker
Dude can play. LOL!
Yawn
Minnesota is not going to trade Zucker until the summer. They are just too close to the playoffs.
What If Penguins trade #18 and #27 for zucker and a 1st round pick.
Penguins can dump some salary and then go after a D like Dillon
Good post Sam. I don’t hate it. Dillon provides some size and grit.
I posted this a few weeks ago and yet got bunch of thumbs downs.
Wasn’t from me bro! I have been suggesting the Penguins need help on defense even without the injury to Marino. with Leturnover Letang and lead foot jack Johnson hell yes.
Sam I got ripped, roasted,and pillaged for suggesting defenseman from your so called thumbs down crew..LOL
Most thumbs downs come from Npl,tbj and Rod those 3 are famous for that .they are just negative depressing fat democRATS
Sam.. I like your post too!
Brendan Dillion a good physical stay at home defenseman which is what our penguins really need!
I agree and Rutherford is fixated on him has been for 2 years.. Rutherford needs to get Kyle Palmeri from the Devils and some other pieces, One player isn’t the answer We need two forwards and a defenseman to take a serious run at the CUP.! There are players like LW Miles Wood, 24 can fly defenseman, defenseman Sammy Vatanen 28 terrific top 4 d-man, and young 25 year old speedy talented center Andres Anthansiou Thing is everyone is fixating on Kreider and waiting…you wait too long you lose out on others! I think the rangers are going to resign… Read more »