It’s Time for a Mats Zuccarello Rangers Reunion

February 8, 2012. The New York Rangers were on track to miss the playoffs for the first time in eight years. It was becoming clear that a change was necessary and, as such, The Letter (1.0) was born. The purpose of this letter was to inform fans that a rebuild was on the horizon, and that while this was for the long term good of the franchise, it was going to involve moving on from players who have been an important part of this team’s history. The Rangers kept their word and sold at the 2018 trade deadline, shipping off noteworthy names such as Rick Nash, Nick Holden, Michael Grabner, J.T. Miller (ironic), and captain Ryan McDonagh. 

The rebuild would continue through the 2018-19 season, and while things were looking up, the Rangers stayed the course to acquire as many assets that could set them up for long term success. It was, in theory, the right plan. However—especially with the luxury of hindsight—you can certainly make the case that not every one of those moves needed to happen. 

Trading assistant captain, top forward, and fan-favorite Mats Zuccarello for draft picks that amounted to Oliver Tarnstrom and Matthew Robertson was one of those moves. 

At the time, Zuccarello was 32-years-old and a pending unrestricted free agent. In 46 games played that season he only had 37 points, which was a significant drop off from his 56 point average across the five prior seasons. Given his age and the direction of the Rangers, it made sense on paper to trade a veteran pending free agent. But Zuccarello still had plenty of hockey in him. While his impact with the Dallas Stars was minimal, Zuccrello went on to be an important player for the Minnesota Wild. Across the last five seasons, Zuccarello has averaged 63.4 points per season with his career high coming in 2022 when he had 79 points in 70 games. 

Flash forward to the present day, and all signs point to Zuccarello hitting the open market on July 1. While it seemed as though he found a home for himself with the Wild in Minnesota, the latest reports indicate that he and management are not on the best terms regarding a potential extension. Considering the Wild are exploring the potential of a Dylan Larkin acquisition and have a Quinn Hughes extension looming, as well, it would make sense that they need to find ways to cut costs, even at the expense of Zuccarello. 

If Zuccarello indeed becomes an unrestricted free agent tomorrow, the Rangers should do whatever it takes to bring him home.