Rangers Analysis: A Closer Look at Mats Zuccarello-Aasen
by Joe Fortunato on Apr 21, 2010 6:00 AM EDT
in New York Rangers Analysis
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PrintEver since the reports came out that the Rangers had agreed to terms with Norwegian forward Mats Zuccarello-Aasen I have been doing some research.
For starters Zuccarello-Aasen is 22 years old, fresh off two brilliant seasons for MODO in the Swedish Elite League; again it’s a league of men not youth. Here are his stats, courtesy of EliteProspects.com:
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8 |
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1 |
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27 |
19 |
17 |
36 |
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5 |
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5 |
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2005-2006 |
21 |
5 |
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8 |
12 |
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7 |
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2006-2007 |
43 |
34 |
25 |
59 |
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5 |
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7 |
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2007-2008 |
33 |
24 |
40 |
64 |
48 |
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15 |
12 |
15 |
27 |
24 |
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7 |
1 |
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2008-2009 |
35 |
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28 |
40 |
38 |
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6 |
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2009-2010 |
55 |
23 |
41 |
64 |
62 |
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4 |
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As you can see above, in his final two seasons in the SEL he put up 35 goals 69 assists for 104 points in 90 games. As a 21 and 22 year old (in those two seasons respectively) those numbers are simply magnificent, they are jaw-dropping, there is really no other way to put it.
To have more than a point per game as a 22 year old in one of the best professional hockey leagues on the planet says something about the type of player this kid is. Think about it: he is young and pretty small, honestly his size is the only knock on him, and he still put’s up those kinds of numbers?
Join me after the jump for more.
Before I go any father let's go back to Elite Prospects for a minute for his scouting report: Assets:Fantastic technical skills and great passing ability. Can finish with ablomb. A magician who can do spectacular things with the puck. Great vision and can man the power play point. Defensively responsible and doesn't mind heavy traffic. When I first saw this scouting report there was one thing that jumped out at me: "Defensively responsible and doesn't mind heavy traffic." Generally the knock on players who put up such absurd numbers is their defensive prowess. If you want an NHL example look no further than Ilya Kovalchuk. There is a guy who can do anything he wants with the puck offensively, but could care less about what's happening behind him. If you want more information on that, The Falconer did an awesome piece on it over at Birdwatchers Anonymous which you can view here.Regardless of Kovalchuk, to see that Zuccarello-Aasen doesn't have the mindset that defense isn't as important as offense is awesome to see. The other part of that little comment that brought a smile to my face was "doesn't mind heavy traffic." Like I said earlier the biggest knock on Zuccarello-Aasen is his size, and the biggest worry with smaller forwards is not getting into the heavy traffic areas on the ice to look for scoring opportunities. It's a very good sign that he has absolutly no trouble with that. And again, please note that we are not talking about a junior league here, we are talking about a men's league. If Zuccarello-Aasen is going into heavy traffic, he is doing it again men who are much older, bigger and stronger than him. If that isn't a brilliant sign then I don't know what is.
Flaws: Size and strength. Not a great physical player.
For those of you that think that the SEL doesn't translate to the NHL RangerSmurf has this to say:
The SEL has one of the highest NHLe (nhl equivalency) rates at .78.
Anyway onto my final analysis. Zuccarello-Aasen brings to the Rangers offense everything the doctor ordered. He is a premiere playmaker, an awesome finisher, and boy is he fast. You can say what you want about Glen Sather, but I think one of the main areas where he excells is in signing un-drafted talent, and this is more proof of that.
I would be astounded if he didn't make the team out of camp, and even more surprised if he didn't make a nice impact on the team next year. When you really break it down, he is a perfect line-mate for Marian Gaborik. He is fast, has magnificent vision, and can bury the puck when he gets it on his stick. On a lesser note, he also seems like he would be fantastic in the shootout.
Regardless, enjoy this signing. It was nothing short of brilliant by Sather, and you heard it here first: this kid is going to be a star on Broadway. He has already flourished under the bright lights of MODO hockey (one of the most popular SEL teams) so New York was the next obvious step. Hell he is even being tutored by Peter Forsberg, how can this get any better?
And just know this before I leave you with his video. Detroit, Chicago and the Leafs all would have killed to have him. The Rangers did good here guys, trust me.
So let me leave you all with a video of him, that highlights basically everything about it.
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Comments
Great post Joe
He really is a awesome signing by Sather.
And just as you said he is everything we wanted.
He’s a great playmaker, has great speed and he plays great on defence.
I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll be a star.
I think he would be a nice fit with both Callahan and Gabby.
Lets hope that Torts likes the lord of the rings so he doesnt get a grudge against Mats for some reason (like he did with Lisin)
Great post Joe. I am thrilled to see that he is defensively responsible. From the videos I have seen of him, his quick hands make up for lack of size around the net.
I predict that he will net at least 20 with the NYR.
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by Nick Montemagno on Apr 21, 2010 9:41 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
This is very exciting!
Thanks fot this Joe. Can’t wait to see him in action. He fits right in with our acronym trend. Now we have MDZ and MZA! Both great for the PP.
With his hair combed,
doesn’t he look a little like Emelio Estevez in the Breakfast Club?
Also, given his history, Sather is going to have bring in at least one more Norwegian (e.g. Jagr, then Malik, Rozeval, Straka, etc).
by It may HAVE to Last a Lifetime on Apr 21, 2010 9:59 AM EDT reply actions
This is exciting to read...
but, seeing is believing. So, I’ll wait and see what happens. Good luck to him.
I Am HockeyMan!!
Not Dolphins, Penguins, or Shoe-Ins...just Rangers, nothin' but Rangers!!
Good post. Question…….how would or should we equate this guy in comparison to a draft pick? Like would you say he has the skillset of a top ten pick? He is obviously extremely polished and impressive, not raw at all.
I would have to assume
that if you put him in the draft right now, with all of his numbers in the SEL, he would be top 5. Maybe even higher since he’s already proven in a men’s league.
Again it’s just a (very optimistic) guess, but I would say he would be up there.
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on Apr 21, 2010 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Doubt it,
size isnt everything, but you cant completely discount it either
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Apr 21, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
He does play in a men’s league and not juniors, so he is playing against bigger and stronger guys. He is responsible defensively and very good offensively. My only worry is that he weighs 165 lbs!!! I m curious to see how he responds and deals with the more physical game in the NHL. Hope he makes it.
At 22, he’s still got plenty of time to put on some weight if need be. Height’s always the bigger issue, you can’t train for height. But there are some successful 5’7 players flying around, so as long as he has the speed and quickness needed, he should be fine.
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by George E. Ays on Apr 21, 2010 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I know there are/were players in the league that were very short and successful (Gionta, Fleury, Sullivan, Camalleri, St. Louis…just a few off the top of my head), but they all were at least 180 lbs+. But as you said, he can still fill out, or lift a little to gain weight, so hopefully he ll be alright. Great thing is that he is not a perimiter player and doesnt shy away from high traffic areas.
men usually don't fully fill out untill they are 25
so take that into consiteration as well, he’ll start putting on pounds dont worry
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on Apr 21, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
so does that make it smart to leave him in hartford for a little while
so he can put on some weight?
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Apr 21, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
no
if the Rangers signed him, they wanna use him in the NHL now
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on Apr 21, 2010 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Sather’s selling point to get him over Detroit/etc:
If you do well, I’ll put you under the spotlight and pay you the big bucks. Look at [insert absurd contract here].
BTW What do those numbers mean?
I’m assuming they mean Games played, goals, assists, points and what? Plus minus? Or is it penalty minutes? Since they’re all even numbers i’m guessing penalty minutes?
It would be nice for him to make an impact, but knowing Torts MZA could get Lisin’d.
It’s too bad MZA doesn’t naturally play the left wing, he’d probably crack the first line. We’d probably experiment with it since we’re so hurting there at the moment.
I could see a line of MZA – Anisimov – Callahan doing some damage if the current fourth line fades out.
i noe its probably not a big factor
but do you think coming to a smaller ice surface could affect him in any way since he wont have as much room to maneuver and work his magic
yes good point
definetly will affect him. especially at his size
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Apr 21, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Probably that would be the main problem. In the conversion to smaller ice, he loses alot of the space he needs for his magic. Its good that he doesnt mind high traffic, because with a more crowed surface like NHL ice, he’s going to be right in the thick of it.
"Mes de un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Apr 21, 2010 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I read somewhere (don’t know where unfortunately) that he played very well in the olympics this year and looked right at home on the smaller ice.
by 76 Blueshirt on Apr 21, 2010 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions
With a name like Zuccarello, he was born to play for New York.
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by Bettman's Nightmare on Apr 21, 2010 1:02 PM EDT reply actions
His size....
I’ve a question.Heavy traffic on a large ice surface and heavy traffic on a small North American ice surface is the same? We’ll find out in october.
Two completely different things. One positive note is that even with the bigger ice space, he has been willing to go into traffic. He could have easily avoided it, but he didn’t.
"Mes de un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Apr 21, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions
How about Prust-AA-MZA as a line? Prusty could keep the bullies off his back and maybe MZA and AA work up some good chemistry.
As a side note, I have a feeling Sather will go after Plekanec, and I wonder – if I’m right – if he keeps Prospal around (another Czech) so he can go Propsal-Plekanec-Gabby.
Well, Czechoslovakia used to be one country, so they are almost like brothers.
"Mes de un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Apr 21, 2010 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I like the idea of AA with MZA but not Prust as the third
maybe dubi or drury
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Apr 21, 2010 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm good with signing him
…but 5’7", 161 lbs??
Has anyone taken a look at the Flyers, Thrashers, Devils, Bruins and Penguins lately?? All very big! Will he be able to wiggle his way out of big hits? I’m just concerned with him being here and getting lit up like a Christmas tree.
I Am HockeyMan!!
Not Dolphins, Penguins, or Shoe-Ins...just Rangers, nothin' but Rangers!!
Joe1969, that can be true...
but, even the Great One with more dekes than a rattlesnake, couldn’t avoid one or two big hits.
I Am HockeyMan!!
Not Dolphins, Penguins, or Shoe-Ins...just Rangers, nothin' but Rangers!!
maybe staal
learns how to be that buekaboom type of player that actually protects our stars so the other team doesnt go after them
Size is always overblown. Martin St.Louis & Brian Gionta have done just fine. This kid is very skilled & extremely quick, both as a straight line skater & making turns. One of the things that I’ve actually noticed during the Olympics is that he would almost always come out with the puck from scrums along the boards because of his extremely quick spins.
Great Post
video was awesome, i actually found/watched that last week when someone first broke the story. My only question is, have the rangers officially announced this signing?? because i cant find news on that anywhere. the only two places I’ve read this is here and by some beat writer out of toronto.
This kid looks promising though, I am very excited!
Yeah, it has not been announced by the Rangers, yet so maybe we shouldn’t be getting too excited yet. I heard that they are supposed to make an announcement after the world championships. But why the wait? Anybody know?
I think there’s some kind of moratorium on announcing signings of international players until the championships are done.
The signing has not taken place.
You’re correct about international/world championships – I’m not sure of the specific reasons.
However, the reports indicate that the other teams that were interested (DET, TOR, etc) were told by his agent(s) that he will be signing with the Rangers – and you can expect it immediately after the conclusion of the WC.
I will be really pissed off if it turns out he signed with another team. I will hate him forever. lol
I’d prefer that he be on the Rangers, but ending up at Chicago wouldn’t be a tragedy. =) We wouldn’t have enough money to keep him for too long though, so I’m sure he wouldnt go there.
"Mes de un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Apr 21, 2010 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Weight an Issue
I’ll admit that 165 lbs, against larger eastern conference competition might not sound adequate. But he’s a young guy and could definitely pack on some weight. Callahan is only 185 and is a very physical player. If you put him on a line with Gabs, though, you’re gonna need to put in a grinder whose more effective in the corners. Possibly Avery? Callahan?
Knowing that he is coming to the NHL, he’ll probably try to add at least 5-10 pounds this summer. Not to much at a time though; it kills the shit out of speed.
"Mes de un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Apr 21, 2010 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m all in on MZA. I love how the kids plays, and I love his name (seriously, jerseys are a must have).
The report is the Rangers nabbed him, which is fantastic. I am just waiting for the official transaction, which will happen after the Championships. Until then, we think we have him.
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"Marian Gaborik.... it's a POWER PLAY GOAL!"
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gaborik, dubinsky, callahan, anisimov, grachev, stepan, aasen, kreider, this years draft pick, staal, girardi, mcdonagh, mdz, sanguinetti, gilroy, weise, byers, werek potter, sauer, henrik, johnson
anyone else excited for the future? now that i look at it, with all this offensive talent… maybe we should draft a dman in the draft?
stepan gaborikkreider anisimov callahan
grachev dubinsky aasen
byers werek weise
staal mcdonagh
PICK mdz
girardi sangs/gilroy
lundqvist
johnson
yeah yeah, speculative. but looks pretty damn good to me. im excited now.. that could be our lineup in 2 years :)
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
and since their all young wed have money to bring in a big player or two.. like a nice 70 point LW for gabby and stepan.. and maybe a badass dman
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Don’t expect us to keep all of our prospects. We could make a VERY nice trade for them if they do well in the NHL/AHL, which i’m sure they will. I’m not sure how many good Dmen are going to be drafted around 10th. The best ones come in a cluster between 4-6. Forbort maybe?
"Mes de un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Apr 21, 2010 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions
How about Marc Staal. He was drafted 12th in 05.
by 76 Blueshirt on Apr 21, 2010 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions
70 Point Player?
His NHL Equivalency over the last two seasons is roughly 70 NHL points in 82 NHL Games played. I’ll be surprised if he actually breaks 70 because size does come into play at some point—but that would be the average projection.
All things Thrashers + stats: www.birdwatchersanonymous.com
Yeah it is interesting
thank RangerSmurf though, he found the NHLe stat. He’s our stat guy
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on Apr 21, 2010 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Indeed it is
It’s really a rough gauge, it’s not like everyone instantly matches their projections. For instance, Anisimov projected to about 45 points this year, but he wasn’t used in the proper role and/or he didn’t adjust his game properly.
What it does to is help put the numbers in a more tangible perspective, and in that it sure looks like MZA could be a steal.
And thanks for the props Joe.
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by George E. Ays on Apr 21, 2010 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank me for nothing my friend
every site has a stat guy and you filled the role perfectly :)
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on Apr 21, 2010 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
As a Norwegian
I am proud of this!!!
I always draft him in my EHM games!
lol
I hope he can make the big club and not toil away in Hartford. It would nice to see him and Stepan make it.
[img]http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0eTH2sm73rf3u/610x.jpg[/img]
wow didnt know he was that good..
that you tube video really showed me alot , man did you see those moves in the shootout they were awesome. can we fit him under our cap ? and i dont by this small guy not tough enough crap . hey remember the smurf line pavelich and rogers did not back away from no one . and they turned out pretty good in the n.h.l…
well lisin wont be back. and neither will jokinen.
expect the rangers to use most of that money to resign staal girardi and prospal..
and im sure they could make mza fit in. especially cause hes prob the only offensive prospect coming up this year..
although with the rangers we never know.. their might be a huge trade or something..
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Great to see
I’m not a Rangers fan, but this kid was my discovery player at the Olympics (as in woah, WHO is THAT?!) He was absolutely incredible to watch & created all kinds of problems even for the top teams like Canada & the US (and that’s considering that he was one of only a couple players on Norway that needed to be shut down). I’m really happy that he’ll get a chance at the NHL & will be following his progress.
Out of all the NHL players I’d compare him to Brian Gionta & Martin St.Louis. Neither are afraid to go into traffic & both are very skilled. I’d love to see more highly skilled, smaller players in the NHL instead of closets of skates who can barely play the game. Give me Zuc over some 6"5 dude who can barely skate any day.
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Atlantic Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Rangers
|
51 | 33 | 13 | 5 | 71 |
|
Philadelphia
|
53 | 30 | 16 | 7 | 67 |
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New Jersey
|
53 | 31 | 19 | 3 | 65 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
54 | 30 | 19 | 5 | 65 |
|
New York Islanders
|
52 | 22 | 22 | 8 | 52 |
(updated 2.9.2012 at 9:25 AM EST)
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Next 5 Games
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Tampa Bay
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Thu 02/09 | 7:00 PM EST |
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@
Philadelphia
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Sat 02/11 | 1:00 PM EST |
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Washington
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Sun 02/12 | 12:30 PM EST |
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@
Boston
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Tue 02/14 | 7:00 PM EST |
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Chicago
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Thu 02/16 | 7:00 PM EST |
Last 5 Games
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New Jersey
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Tue 02/07 | L 0 - 1 |
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Philadelphia
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Sun 02/05 | W 5 - 2 |
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@
Buffalo
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Wed 02/01 | SO - W 1 - 0 |
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@
New Jersey
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Tue 01/31 | SO - L 3 - 4 |
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Winnipeg
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Tue 01/24 | W 3 - 0 |
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