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Jason Zucker

NHL Notes: Zucker, Drury, Andersen

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Seth Rorabaugh of Trib Live Sports is reporting that free agent winger Jason Zucker has made it clear that he wants to remain a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zucker was able to remain healthy this season for the first time since the 2018-19 season when he was a member of the Minnesota Wild. Zucker flourished in a top six role for the Penguins this year, which was a pleasant, albeit unexpected surprise. Zucker spent much of last summer as a possible trade or buyout candidate, but the Penguins never found a suitor for the California native and elected to hang onto him.

Zucker rewarded Pittsburgh with his best season as a Penguin. He tallied 27 goals and 48 points in 78 games while playing on a second line with Evgeni Malkin. Zucker was also one of the few Penguins who showed an emotional pulse as the team was free falling out of a playoff position in the dying weeks of the regular season. There were many nights in which Pittsburgh appeared to be sleepwalking through the game only to be awakened by a huge hit by the small forward.

Zucker will have suitors and could very well fetch a contract that exceeds his previous cap hit of $5.5MM. Zucker is just 31 years old, and while injuries are certainly a concern given his track record, the lack of game breaking forwards on the free agent market should allow Zucker to cash in on his bounce back season.

In other notes from around the NHL:

  • Chip Alexander of Raleigh News & Observer is reporting that Rod Brind’Amour said that Jack Drury is feeling better today. This comes on the heels of Drury leaving game four yesterday after taking a hard hit into the boards in the first period. The center is in the midst of a 14-game goalless drought and played just 1:20 in the Hurricanes 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Drury had just eight points in 38 games in the regular season, but with the Hurricanes battling through various injuries the 23-year-old played over 15 minutes in both games two and three of Carolina’s first round series.
  • Alexander also tweeted that Brind’Amour said goaltender Frederik Andersen is good to go for the Carolina Hurricanes. Andersen will likely be relegated to a backup role as Antti Raanta has backstopped the Hurricanes to a 3-1 series lead against the Islanders. Raanta has posted a solid .915 save percentage for Carolina after going 19-3-3 in the regular season. While it seems likely that Andersen won’t see action until the second round, he could get into a game should Raanta stumble in any of the next few games.

Penguins Injury Notes: Petry, Rust, DeSmith

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Rob Rossi of The Athletic is reporting that injured Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry is back skating. He has not practiced with the team but took to the ice after yesterdays practice in Colorado. The Penguins defense has been decimated by injuries in recent days as Petry, Jan Rutta, Dmitry Kulikov and Marcus Pettersson are all sidelined with various ailments. Things have become so dire for the Penguins that even potential call-ups Ty Smith and Xavier Ouellet are hurt as well.

The timing of these injuries could not be worse for Pittsburgh, they are in a dogfight with the Florida Panthers and the New York Islanders for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have been forced to dive deep into their AHL lineup to find replacements for their injured rearguards and are now using the Taylor Fedun to fill out their roster. Fedun played Monday night against the Ottawa Senators and was fine in a sheltered role, but should the Penguins defense ever get healthy he would likely be the 12th defenseman.

Petry has not had a great first season in Pittsburgh, he has been in and out of the lineup with various injuries throughout the season. When he has played, he has largely been okay, but with a cap hit of $6.25MM the Penguins can’t afford for him to be just okay. The Michigan native has 26 points in 52 games and has been a valuable part of Marcus Pettersson’s development this season, but he has had trouble at times matching the foot speed of the young forwards on some of Pittsburgh’s Eastern Conference rivals.

In other Penguins injury news:

  • Bryan Rust left yesterday’s Penguins practice in disgust after taking a Jason Zucker shot off his right hand. Rust returned a short time later and no update was provided on the incident. Pittsburgh will not practice today, which means we likely won’t have any updates until their game this evening with the Colorado Avalanche. Rob Rossi did tweet that Rust’s return to the ice for practice appeared to be a good sign. It has been a difficult season for the 30-year-old forward, he has 38 points in 69 games which is well off his near point a game pace from the three previous seasons. He has appeared visibly frustrated in recent weeks, the most obvious instance being in Monday’s game against Ottawa when his failure to clear the zone on a Senators powerplay led to the game winning goal.
  • Rob Rossi of The Athletic is also reporting that Casey DeSmith did not participate in Penguins practice yesterday. While he was not injured, he was apparently forced back to the team’s hotel with an illness. Not much else is known, but it could create another interesting development for the Penguins as they have a back-to-back tonight in Colorado and then in Dallas tomorrow against the Stars. DeSmith stood on his head earlier this season with a 41 save win against the Avalanche and would have presumably started tonight or tomorrow’s game. Should he remain sick it could force the Penguins to use Jarry in both games, which is something they may be hesitant to do given Jarry’s play lately. The Surrey native has struggled in recent weeks having been pulled in four of his previous 11 starts, this has cratered his save percentage which now sits at just .907 for the season. Not ideal for a goaltender who is just over three months away from unrestricted free agency.

Jason Zucker Out Week-To-Week

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Not only will the Pittsburgh Penguins be without Jeff Petry for at least several weeks after placing him on long-term injured reserve yesterday, but now Jason Zucker is out too. Head coach Mike Sullivan explained today that Zucker is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury and will not travel with the club when they travel to Florida for tomorrow’s game against the Panthers.

Petry will be out “longer-term” according to Sullivan, though a clear timeline has not been given at this point. Neither player is expected to require surgery.

It is unfortunate news for Zucker, who was having a nice bounce-back season after two injury-riddled campaigns. He had just totaled just 18 and 17 points the last two years, numbers he had already surpassed this year with 20 points in his first 27 games. The versatile winger was playing regular minutes and had two assists in Monday’s game, including on the game-winning tally from Evgeni Malkin in the dying seconds.

For a player that has taken a lot of heat since he arrived in Pittsburgh, it looked like the 30-year-old was getting back to the player that scored 33 goals and 64 points for the Minnesota Wild in 2017-18. Unfortunately, the rebirth of that player will have to wait at least a few games as he deals with the lower-body injury.

Not only was this his best performance as a Penguin but Zucker is also a pending free agent, and a big year could set him up for a substantial payday. He’ll be 31 when the market opens next summer, coming off a five-year, $27.5MM deal he signed with Minnesota in 2018.

Injury Notes: Palat, Guentzel, Zucker

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The New Jersey Devils will be without forward Ondrej Palat tonight as they look to avenge their home-opener loss to the Detroit Red Wings, according to the team. The team noted Palat has a lower-body injury and did not list a timeline.

Palat played over 20 minutes in last night’s game against the Washington Capitals, and it’s unclear as to when he suffered the injury. 23-year-old Fabian Zetterlund, who has an assist in his only NHL appearance this season (which came against the Red Wings), will draw in tonight.

  • Jake Guentzel will remain out with an ear injury for the third straight game tonight, according to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Guentzel had five points in four games before going down with the injury against the Los Angeles Kings on October 20. His status remains day-to-day, and Danton Heinen will continue to sub in for Guentzel on the team’s top line.
  • The Penguins also noted that forward Jason Zucker will miss tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames and that his status is day-to-day. In his place, 2019 first-round pick Samuel Poulin will make his NHL debut. Zucker was also in the midst of a strong start, notching six points through six games.

Metropolitan Notes: Zucker, Bailey, Hagelin

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Jason Zucker’s tenure with the Penguins has been a tough one with the veteran struggling to stay healthy and not being as productive as expected when he has played.  With that in mind, some wondered if they’d try to find a home for him this summer.  As Dave Molinari of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports, they did have the opportunity to do so but elected to not pay the high premium it would have cost to do so.  The proposal, which is believed to come from a division rival, would have seen the Penguins part with a first-round pick to clear the final year and $5.5MM of his deal off the books while not receiving anything in return.  We’ve seen that happen recently with the Sean Monahan trade but it would have been a steep price to pay for Pittsburgh.  Interestingly, no team in the division has the money to take on Zucker’s deal outright so this opportunity likely would have come early in the summer before other moves were made.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • While some expected the Islanders to move Josh Bailey in order to free up cap space this summer, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the winger was told at the draft that he wouldn’t be getting moved. The 32-year-old managed to record 44 points in 74 games last season but has seen his production taper off over the last few seasons compared to a three-year stretch where he had at least 56 points per season.  Bailey has two years left on a contract that carries a $5MM AAV and in this trade market, New York would have been hard-pressed to get top value for his services if they did move him.
  • Capitals winger Carl Hagelin took part in informal team skates without needing a no-contact designation, relays Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic (Twitter link). The veteran has been dealing with an eye injury that has his availability for the upcoming season in question but the fact he’s skating without restriction bodes well for him.  The 34-year-old had 14 points in 53 games last season.

Metropolitan Notes: Hurricanes, Zucker, Jiricek

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Hurricanes GM Don Waddell indicated to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer that he expects to reach a settlement with defenseman Maxime Lajoie in advance of Tuesday’s arbitration hearing.  The 24-year-old spent most of the season in the minors so a new agreement shouldn’t be hard to come to.  What’s notable is that once that new deal is reached, Carolina will get their second buyout window soon after and Waddell didn’t rule out the possibility of using it but noted that they could make things work without going that route.  A player must make $4MM to be eligible to be bought out in this window and blueliner Jake Gardiner – who missed all of last season with back and hip issues – makes $4.05MM.  He has been cleared to return which does make him eligible to be bought out.  Once Lajoie’s deal is signed, the buyout window will open up three days later and lasts 48 hours.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Penguins winger Jason Zucker has recovered from the series of lower-body injuries that plagued him in the second half of last season, notes NHL.com’s Jessi Pierce. It has been a tough go for the 30-year-old who has recorded just 47 points in 94 games since being acquired by Pittsburgh just before the 2020 trade deadline.  Next season will be a contract year for Zucker and unless he can get back to the form he had with Minnesota, he’ll be looking at a considerably cheaper deal next summer compared to his current $5.5MM AAV.
  • Blue Jackets prospect David Jiricek has been cleared to join the Czechs for the upcoming World Juniors, their hockey federation announced (Twitter link). The 18-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 late last month and wasn’t able to travel with the rest of the team to begin tournament preparations.  Jiricek, the sixth-overall pick last month, will be Czechia’s top defenseman in this event and a strong performance could help get him in the mix for a roster spot with Columbus for the upcoming season.

East Notes: Zucker, Pandolfo, Devils

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker has struggled with injuries all season long, as the 30-year-old was limited to just 41 games during the regular season. Despite that, it looks like Zucker will be healthy enough to slot into the Penguins’ lineup for Game 2 tonight against the New York Rangers, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Mike DeFabo. Zucker could replace Rickard Rakell in the lineup, who was injured in Game 1’s triple-overtime win.

Game 2 will be a tougher outing for the Penguins, as NHL journeyman Louis Domingue, third on the team’s goalie depth chart, looks to start his first career playoff game. Zucker last played on April 26 before leaving that game with a lower-body injury. If Zucker can’t play, it’s likely youngster Drew O’Connor will make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut.

  • While the Boston Bruins struggle in the First Round against the Carolina Hurricanes, a former coach is getting put in the spotlight today. Longtime NHLer Jay Pandolfo was named as the 13th head coach of the Boston University Terriers today, just one season after he departed the Bruins organization as an assistant coach. Pandolfo was a member of Boston’s coaching staff from 2014-2021, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. Now, after one season as the associate head coach at BU, he’ll get the chance to lead the team himself. In Pandolfo’s final season as a player at BU, 1995-96, he torched the college circuit as the team’s captain with 38 goals and 67 points in just 39 games.
  • New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald today left the door open on trading the team’s 2022 first-round draft choice, specifically to upgrade the team’s goaltending situation. The Devils were a much better team than their record indicated this season, largely because of injuries in the crease to both Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier. With Bernier’s playing future uncertain and Blackwood not emerging as a true no. 1 goalie just yet, the team will look to add an established body to the crease to help propel them toward a playoff spot. A weak free-agent market leaves the Devils with few choices there, so a trade is the most likely option for the Devils to be able to upgrade.

Playoff Injury Notes: Penguins, Wild, Nurse

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced, per Head Coach Mike Sullivan, that forward Jason Zucker and goaltender Tristan Jarry have been updated as day-to-day, though they are not expected to play in at least the next couple of games (link). Having the two players come back into the lineup would be a major step for Pittsburgh, with Zucker increasing their forward and scoring depth, a crucial key to playoff success, and Jarry of course being their number one goaltender. Though it appears neither will be able to go for the Penguins in Game 1 or 2 in New York against the Rangers, they could look to Game 3 at home on Saturday night as a return for the pair.

Zucker has dealt with his share of injuries this season, ultimately playing in just 41 of the Penguins 82 games this season, recording 17 points in the process. The veteran forward had been playing down the stretch for Pittsburgh, but was injured early in Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers and has not played since. Jarry had been having a stellar season in net for the Penguins, posting a 2.42 goals-against average and .919 save-percentage, however he was declared week-to-week on April 16th after last playing April 14th against the New York Islanders, a game in which he did play the full 60 minutes.

  • The Minnesota Wild could be due to get a couple of key pieces in the lineup in time for their playoff series against the St. Louis Blues. As The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports, both Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno practiced this morning for the Wild (link). Zuccarello has done well to stay healthy for a majority of this season, however he has not played since April 22nd after suffering a lower-body injury.  Foligno on the other hand was only injured on Friday night against the Colorado Avalanche, the Wild’s final game of the season. As encouraging as the news is, the Wild have not confirmed whether either player will be available for Game 1 on Monday night. Having both players in the lineup is crucial for the Wild, as both earned career-highs in points this season, with Zuccarello ranking third on the team in points and Foligno considered one of the better two-way players in the sport.
  • According to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Edmonton Oiler’s defenseman Darnell Nurse was on the ice practicing this morning (link). The star defenseman had been injured in the Oilers April 22nd game against the Colorado Avalanche and has not played since. This news is definitely encouraging for Edmonton, but according to Derek Van Diest of Postmedia, Nurse was still non-committal about whether or not he’d play in Game 1 Monday night (link). While much of the attention in Edmonton goes to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and for good reason, Nurse is an essential component for the Oilers, logging 25 minutes per night on the backend, contributing shutdown defense to go along with quality offensive production.

Metropolitan Notes: Kuraly, Penguins, Sheary, MacEwen

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The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that they have placed center Sean Kuraly in COVID protocol which means he will not play tonight against Detroit.  The team has been dealing with the virus lately with both head coach Brad Larsen and assistant coach Steve McCarthy entering the protocol late last month (they have since returned) while associate coach Pascal Vincent entered on Monday.  Kuraly has had a good first season with his hometown team, posting career highs in goals (12), points (28), faceoff wins (580), and hits (216) over 72 games.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Penguins will welcome winger Jason Zucker back to the lineup this afternoon as he has recovered from his knee injury, relays Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). The veteran returned to the lineup at the end of March after missing more than two months following core muscle surgery but suffered the knee injury that very same game.  It has been a frustrating year for Zucker to say the least as he has been limited to just 32 games, collecting just eight goals and six assists.  Meanwhile, while winger Brock McGinn is getting closer to returning from the upper-body injury that has held him out for the last month, he isn’t quite ready to play just yet.
  • Washington winger Conor Sheary will miss today’s game against Pittsburgh due to a non-COVID illness, notes Mike Vogel of the Capitals’ team website (Twitter link). He didn’t take part in Friday’s practice or travel with the team.  Sheary has been a quality secondary scorer for Washington this season, collecting 35 points in 60 games.
  • Flyers winger Zack MacEwen has been cleared by team doctors but will need some time before rejoining Philadelphia’s lineup, mentions Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). He last played last weekend and suffered a head injury in a fight.  He has seven points and 101 penalty minutes in 66 games this season.

Snapshots: Sateri, Ho-Sang, Zucker

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The Arizona Coyotes had Harri Sateri on the ice today for the first time, after claiming him last month from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sateri, 32, is expected to make his debut tomorrow night, head coach Andrew Tourigny told reporters including Jose M. Romero of AZ Central. It will be the first NHL appearance for Sateri since 2018, when he played in nine games for the Florida Panthers, and a potential showcase for keen-eyed suitors.

Sateri is expected to try and land another NHL contract this summer, after spending the last three seasons in the KHL. Originally selected 106th overall in 2008 by the San Jose Sharks, the veteran netminder has a .923 save percentage over 260 career games in the KHL, a .905 over 198 games in the AHL, and a .911 in nine games in the NHL. If he can show well down the stretch, he’ll be an interesting name to consider this offseason.

  • Joshua Ho-Sang wasn’t able to parlay his Olympic appearance into an NHL contract this season, and he’ll have new representation when he tries again in the summer. The Toronto Marlies forward has switched agencies and is now represented by Gold Star Hockey. While he still seems to be highly regarded by hockey fans, Ho-Sang has unfortunately not been able to find much success since being drafted 28th overall in 2014 by the New York Islanders. The supremely-skilled winger has 15 goals and 28 points in 38 games with the Marlies and is another interesting name to keep an eye on this summer, if even just in a minor league depth role.
  • Jason Zucker, who looked as though he may be out for the year when he was helped off the ice recently, is actually only considered day-to-day and will travel with the Pittsburgh Penguins on their road trip. Zucker skated in a regular sweater today at practice and met with reporters afterward, explaining that he feels excited about the end of the year now that he’s been back on the ice. The 30-year-old forward has played 32 games this season, just two of those coming since December 19.

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