So, what exactly is going on with the Wild and Jason Zucker?
Jason Zucker should be the next Minnesota Wild player that’s traded, and now he has practically asked for a trade.
After watching things as currently constructed for a bit, Minnesota Wild general manager Paul Fenton was active leading into the trade deadline this past season. Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund were moved, and if not for an apparent paperwork issue at the wire Jason Zucker would have been gone too.
Rumors attaching Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Phil Kessel trade surfaced recently, before Kessel used his veto power. The Buffalo Sabres also have some rumored interest in Zucker, and with a limited no-trade clause kicking in on July 1 the Wild would probably like to make a move soon if they’re going to trade the 27-year old winger.
One of Fenton’s first moves as Wild general manager was a contract extension for Zucker, which carries a $5.5 million cap hit for each of the next four seasons. So such a quick pivot away from him as piece of the future is a little odd.
And quite frankly, in comments to Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required), Zucker seems a little confused himself.
"I’m going to stay out of it because realistically, I mean Paul’s never treated me poorly,” “I have respected Paul in his position and what he does. Can I say fully that I agree with everything? No, but I can say that about any position, any person in the world I wouldn’t totally agree with everything. And most people would say that about me, and that’s just the way it works.”“So, I mean, I have respect for him and what he’s trying to do for his job. At this point, it’s his deal to make or not make. He’s going to do what he wants to.And I mean, as far as I know, they don’t want me to leave and I don’t want to, but again, that’s kind of part of the business. But I will say, I do want to be somewhere I’m wanted.”"
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As he breaks up what was an inconsistent and underachieving group in Minnesota, Fenton’s aggressiveness deserves praise. Zucker has been one of the poster boys for that group of inconsistent underachievers, and even as Wild fans are sure to lament him being traded a move is coming whether anyone likes it or not.