Good fine by an OTG poster I can see this. I never thought they could pay Zucc. http://fulltiltnyr.com/norwegian-paper-believes-end-mats-zuccarello-broadway/
Honestly, it would suck to see him somewhere else. He's a sparkplug for the team. The only way I could see him stay is if he took less money, 3 million to stay here and I don't think he would do that. I have to think if the Rangers add Bolland, Glass and his salary must be going the other way. They have to take him in the deal. I see no way Sather wouldn't make him do this when he will be so tight on the cap next season.
That articel says a couple of interesting things. 1. A raise of 3.5 per to 4.5 per isn't impossible. That has been my belief all along. If Zucc takes 4.3. to 4.5 per long term he could stay. If that isn't good enough for him, then he must go. For what he adds, for what he does for the team, I think if we brought him back long term at 4.5 per tops I would be happy with that. If he wants more he needs to go, and rightfully so. To me as much as I like him, he isn't a 5 mill + per player. 2. Mentions Bozak as the potential target. He does make sense. He is not a small guy. He can win face-offs. He can score 18 goals and 45 points. He shoots righty, which is a plus for the team and the PP. He would make us very solid down the middle IMO, which is a key for us in the playoffs. His 4.2 mill per cap hit I bet is right in the range they would be willing to pay Zucc. So he does make sense. The downside is he's been terrible this month, especially since they moved him down to the 3rd line. Just wonder if he was a product of Kessel scoring and he rode those coat-tails. Would he perform well on the 3rd line here with Hags and Hayes let's say? Could be a concern. 3. If we dealt Zucc, and got Bozak back, we'd still need to add another player IMO. Losing Zucc and gaining Bozak adds zero depth to this team, and we need it badly upfront. 4. This portion nails exactly how I feel: Many believe the Rangers are trying to obtain defenseman Andrej Sekera, but the rumor mill has the Leafs very active in the market. I’m still trying to understand this obsession to acquire Sekera to play 6th man on defense. The Rangers issue is depth at center, especially in the face-off circle. Maybe the Blueshirts are trying to acquire 28 year old center, Tyler Bozak who has the same exact cap hit as Zuccarello’s $3.5M. Never understood why we would want Sekera for a little 6th dman upgrade, when forward depth is a way bigger concern. If we can add a solid depth dman for a low pick or medium prospect, sure, but it is not the biggest concern.
Bozak is on my fantasy team this year so I've been following him kind of closely. He's never been out of the top 6 but he did get bumped down to the second line. The TOR coach said a few times that they were a one line team and he wanted to spread the scoring around. Take that for what it's worth. And I also am well aware of his awful January, thanks Tyler. But that kind of represents the player he is: he was never supposed to be a top line C. He's been playing there because the Leafs have nobody else. Ideally, he's your 2 or even a 3 on a good, deep team. On another note, when the Leafs were on 24/7 I remember the coaches and players gushing over Bozak, saying they were a different team when he was in the lineup. They didnt say it, but I have to think it's because he's one of the only 2-way players on a team full of guys who don't want to do the dirty work and play in their own zone. At the very least, it means he's well respected in the room. All that being said, I agree with Chuck and dont think that trading Zucc for him helps us at all. Unless Sather has something else cooking as well, that would leave a huge hole at wing in the top 6. I dont see how that makes us better. Would love Bozak, but not at that price. I'm still optimistic we can sign Zucc.
I am with you Prod. If we dealt Zucc for Bozak because Zucc wants 5 mill per +, I am okay with that, we certainly can use the C depth and adding Bozak would make us very good down the middle, but then we must add a top 9 winger back in a separate deal otherwise I don't see how we really get better.
Trading for Bozak if you take his salary makes all the sense. The Rangers farm system is void of centers. Hayes is not a center. All the young talent at forward which will be cheap is on wing. Miller and Hayes are wings. Duclair and Buchnevich are wings. I don't like his salary and contract. However, you could legitimately make the case that the Rangers will not have a prospect at center make the team for another 3 to 5 years. There isn't anybody in the system other than Lindberg who would take a 4th line center role at best. Faceoffs is going to lose games in the playoffs at some point. They have to fix the problem.
Going forward, the only way the Rangers will keep cost down for the cap is by prospects at wing and defense making the team. Skjei can take a spot next year for Moore. In a couple years after that Graves and Walcott will be competing for a spot.
Zucc for Bozak. Then trade picks/prospects/someone like Moore maybe for a top 9 winger back. Maybe someone who is a UFA this summer so it doesn't kill our cap. Then next season we let some of the kids take positions to help with the cap.
I'm not sure what Zucc's value is for them. Remember, he's a UFA at the end of the year. No guarantee he resigns there. They might be more interested in Hagelin, who is better defensively and who they can control as an RFA. Trading Hagelin would also leave the hole on the third line and not on the first line. No guarantee we have the assets to pull off two different trades, especially for two big pieces like Bozak and another top 6 guy. You guys think Toronto would be interested in a guy like McIlrath? They're awful in their own zone. Sotft. AV has no use for Big Mac. Why not look to trade him before he develops a bust label around the league. I think his failure to make the team is more due to AV's style than his ability.
No doubt we'd have to include more. I still don't think Zucc gets dealt unless his agents make it very clear he wants big money on his new deal. I would guess the first guys they'll deal are Sant and Winnik, both UFA's to be. Winnik interests me, assuming we wouldn't have to deal a ton, and we still add another scoring threat in another deal.
When you sign for multi years, UFA years, he will get a raise. But I wouldn't break the bank. I stand on my 4.2 to 4.5 mill per cap hit. That is all.
