A few days ago there was a report in a Swedish
newspaper claiming that the New York Rangers were looking to trade Mats
Zuccarello this summer. The rumor is
likely more just speculation than anything tangible, but since seeing it the
other day as first posted by Puck
Central, I have been pondering the likelihood something like this could be
in the works. Ten days ago I wondered how
safe Mats Zuccarello’s spot on the roster was depending on how different
positional battles play out during training camp. If he is not going to play on the top three
lines, then Hartford is likely the best place for him developmentally in terms
of his NHL future.
Add to that the Rangers losing money due to performance
bonuses and having to pay Dubinsky and likely Callahan more than most hoped
they would and you have a situation where the salary cap comes into play in
roster decisions as well. Zuccarello
carries a cap hit of $1.75 million this season, so a move to send him down
would certainly create significant breathing room if the Rangers made it. Does that mean they would look to move him on
to another team though?
I doubt the Rangers are looking to actively shop Zuccarello
anywhere as he showed flashes of the tremendous skill that made him so highly
sought after last summer. That does not
mean the Rangers would not listen to offers from other teams, but getting a
feel for what his value is on the trade market is a more difficult proposition. Gauging his value is difficult because there are so few cases like his that have been around recently.
In some respects Zuccarello should be treated like trading
for a prospect, but giving his accomplishments overseas there should be more
value to him than just a regular mid-to-high level prospect. Having put up 23 points in 42 NHL games as a
rookie should add some to his value, especially if a team has the ability to
play him in a higher level role where he can get more ice time to adjust to the
league and use his skill. Having control
over Zuccarello as a restricted free agent should also add to his value in the
trade market. The only real negatives
would be his larger cap hit, though that could be a positive for teams looking
to hit the salary cap floor, and any lingering concerns about how his size
would allow him to transition to the NHL.
Zuccarello rumors are going to be natural while his spot on
the roster is still somewhat in flux and the Rangers are anywhere near close to
the cap limit, but there are other ways the Rangers can solve the cap problem
if Zuccarello wins his spot on the team this fall. If Zuke fails in camp and goes down, the
talent and upside would make him worth keeping unless the Rangers get a
significant offer for the man from Norway.
