The New York Rangers beat writers are all reporting that Michael Del Zotto has the flu…so do we and it’s not fun…trust me on that one…this is a nasty strain. They also are reporting that Marion Gaborik’s tricky groin is acting up again and as a result, the Rangers have recalled Mats Zuccarello to take his place.
Zuccarello is having a magnificent offensive breakout rookie season. He is adjusting his game to the smaller North American rinks and is also adjusting to the more physical nature of the North American game versus the European version.
Having seen every one of Zuccarello’s games, his defensive responsibilities still need work. Some of that lag is just his size and some is just getting used to the way things are played here.
Offensively, Zuccarello has all the tools to be an NHL weapon. He’s smaller than Petr Prucha was when he joined the Rangers, but “The Norwegian Hobbit” is faster than his Czech counterpart who now plays in San Antonio.
It will be interesting to see if he stays up in New York for Thursday’s game with Tampa Bay and also to see if Dale Weise joins him there.
Weise had a particularly strong game in New York and has played well upon his return to Connecticut’s capital.
Here’s the official release:
New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Mats Zuccarello has been recalled from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Zuccarello, 23, has registered a point in five of the last six games, tallying four goals and four assists over the span, and has recorded 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in the last 20 games. In his first AHL season, Zuccarello has registered 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points, along with 16 penalty minutes in 32 games with Connecticut. He is tied for second among AHL rookies and ranks second on the team in goals, and is tied for third in the league among rookies and third on the Whale in scoring with 24 points. He is also tied for second on the team with 97 shots on goal, fourth with three power play goals and ranks fifth in assists. Zuccarello posted an AHL career-high, four points, including his first career hat trick in a 7-1 win vs. Bridgeport on November 7. He made his AHL debut on October 9 vs. Charlotte, and tallied his first career point with a goal on October 15 at Albany.
Prior to joining Connecticut, the 5-7, 174-pounder skated in 90 games over two seasons with Modo of the Swedish Elite League (SEL), registering 35 goals and 69 assists for 104 points, along with 100 penalty minutes. He led the SEL in scoring and captured the Guldhjalmen award as the league’s Most Valuable Player last season, establishing career-highs in goals (23), assists (41), points (64), and penalty minutes (62). Zuccarello also represented Norway at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, finishing third on the team in scoring with three points (one goal, two assists) in four contests.
The Oslo, Norway native signed with the Rangers as a free agent on May 26, 2010.
The Rangers return to action tomorrow when they will face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.). Prior to the game, the Blueshirts optional morning skate is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the MSG Training Center. The contest will be televised live on MSG Network, and can be heard on 1050 ESPN Radio and at newyorkrangers.com.
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