Jason Zucker

[VancouverGreek]

Hey,

Do you guys see Jason Zucker making the team and sticking with the recent acquisition of Vanek?

I know he just signed a 2 year deal with the first year being a two way and the second being a one way....

realistically what can we expect from him in the next year or 2?

thanks

[doulos]

Doesn't sound like there is much of a consensus out there on Zucker, even in Wild land. He's a talented player, but from the sounds of it he'll need to really impress in training camp to get a solid roster spot out of the gate.

He's been able to produce at every level though, so I'd say he finds his way back up onto the roster at some point and then is a full timer in year 2.

[MarmotKing]

I don't think he'll see a full year. He'll move between the AHL and NHL.

I like him as a player and hope he forces the hands of the team this year so that it would be hard to send him back in the AHL.

[Happy Hour]

Yeah, lots of forward depth to contend with. I see him playing bigger minutes in the AHL for one more year.

[Savvy1982]

It's a logjam in Minnesota, and it only gets worse for Zucker with Vanek joining the team.

The question becomes: Can he beat out Koivu, Parise, Pominville, Vanek, Granlund, Niederreiter, Coyle, Brodziak, Cooke, Fontaine, and Haula, just for a shot in the Top 9?

Yes, I think he can get a spot in the Top 9 - cracking the Top 6 will be harder, it'll be next year at the soonest.

[Carcillo]

It's a logjam in Minnesota, and it only gets worse for Zucker with Vanek joining the team.

The question becomes: Can he beat out Koivu, Parise, Pominville, Vanek, Granlund, Niederreiter, Coyle, Brodziak, Cooke, Fontaine, and Haula, just for a shot in the Top 9?

Yes, I think he can get a spot in the Top 9 - cracking the Top 6 will be harder, it'll be next year at the soonest.

I don't see Zucker ever forcing his way into top-6 in Minnesota. Parise, Pominville and Vanek are all proven top-6'ers with long contracts. Coyle and Nino are more skilled and better overall players than Zucker. There's simply no room for Zucker and I don't see him good enough to force his way into that top-6. Maybe if there's injuries and he seizes his opportunity but not by simply outplaying two of those five guys when all would be healthy.

[Axeman33]

Zuckers projects as a solid 3rd line player. I dont see it this year but long term, thats where I see him fitting.

[doulos]

I don't see Zucker ever forcing his way into top-6 in Minnesota. Parise, Pominville and Vanek are all proven top-6'ers with long contracts. Coyle and Nino are more skilled and better overall players than Zucker. There's simply no room for Zucker and I don't see him good enough to force his way into that top-6. Maybe if there's injuries and he seizes his opportunity but not by simply outplaying two of those five guys when all would be healthy.

I zipped around yesterday to a few different Minnesota Wild message boards, and tried to read some articles about the team as well.

The fans seem to be slotting him onto either the 3rd/4th line, with a few folks not putting him there at all.

The guys who write about the team do not seem very comfortable even giving him a place to play on the roster out of the gate though, exactly for the reasons you're stating - because he needs to play top 6 ice time to really be much good. I'm not buying that, but then I try and avoid watching the Wild as much as possible (granted they are more interesting now than they used to be) so probably take the opinion of the writers over me,.

[Carcillo]

I zipped around yesterday to a few different Minnesota Wild message boards, and tried to read some articles about the team as well.

The fans seem to be slotting him onto either the 3rd/4th line, with a few folks not putting him there at all.

The guys who write about the team do not seem very comfortable even giving him a place to play on the roster out of the gate though, exactly for the reasons you're stating - because he needs to play top 6 ice time to really be much good. I'm not buying that, but then I try and avoid watching the Wild as much as possible (granted they are more interesting now than they used to be) so probably take the opinion of the writers over me,.

Well I do think he could be a solid 3rd liner with his speed (Zucker/Haula would be one speedy compo on the 3rd line!) but even then he'd have to beat either Cooke or one of Nino/Coyle for the spot so don't think we'll see that happening. Not this year atleast. But that's where he could eventually fit in Minnesota.