ST. PAUL, Minn. — When you’re playing hockey at age 38 and your team is on the brink of elimination and you’ve got no contract beyond this season, it’s natural to start thinking about what comes next.
For Minnesota Wild veteran winger Mats Zuccarello, it doesn’t look or sound like he’s ready to retire anytime soon. Zuccarello, whose goal with his first NHL contract coming out of Norway was to just play one game, can reach 1,000 in his remarkable career if he plays next season.
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And the pending unrestricted free agent should be in a good position to do that with the way he’s played this season.
“If my body feels good, I feel like I have some more years left in me,” Zuccarello said before Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the teams’ second-round series. “But it’s up to contracts and everything like that. It’s not up to me always. So let’s just take this series, hopefully (the) next one, and see how far we go here before we start thinking about that.
“But, I feel good. I feel like it’s still fun. I’ve always said that. As long as it’s fun, you get to play. The day you lose the fun, then there’s no reason to play anymore.”
Zuccarello made his name in his nine years with the New York Rangers, but he has made his home in the Twin Cities, spending the past seven seasons with the Wild and having his three daughters here. He joked that New York was where he “grew up” and Minnesota is “where you grow old.”
Zuccarello indicated that if he doesn’t choose to retire, he’d like to return and stay “loyal” to a group he’s been a big part of.
“My favorite soccer player was Francesco Totti, and he played for Rome his whole career,” Zuccarello said. “He could have went to Real Madrid. But I think I’m that kind of guy that it means more to stay, to know the people around you, and you guys.”
Sarcastically (we think), he quipped, “We used to hate each other. Now we’re best friends, all of us. But I mean, you come far, you know everyone around, I think that’s the kind of person I am. I like to be comfortable. I don’t like to be a guy that you talk about in sports that you’re not loyal. You go there, you go there. It’s hard to be because in New York, I’m a loyal guy, you take less to stay, and they ship you out in a second. That’s a part of growing up here in the business.
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“But I’ve always liked to be a loyal guy, and I like to think that when you’re in a place where you really like the people and are part of the community … it’s a little bit more special to me. So, I think that’s just my thought process right now. Let me see. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but right now I think we’re in a good spot.”
If Zuccarello, who has nine points in seven playoff games, wants to return, the feeling is mutual.
“We always have interest in Zuccy,” president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin told The Athletic. “He’s been a big part of what we’ve built here. We’ll take care of that in the offseason. There’s no doubt he still has passion to play. Why wouldn’t he? He’s still a very effective player. I don’t care what your age is; if you’re producing like he is and playing at the level he is, why wouldn’t you play?
“He’s too competitive not to play as long as he can.”
Zuccarello was nearly a point-per-game player this season, scoring 54 points in 59 games. And, of course, he’s the all-time leader in every statistical category among Norwegian players, as he’s one of 10 Norwegian skaters to ever play in the NHL.
He’s 37 games short of 1,000.
“That actually has never meant anything to me,” he said. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I end up getting there, it would be a cool achievement. But it’s never something that I set my goal to, or if something happened and this is my last year, I’m happy about that, too.
“I don’t want to (play one more season) just to get 1,000. If I play, I want to go and help and contribute. I say that now because I don’t have it. Maybe when I have them, I’ll feel different. I don’t know. You can talk to me about it then. … I’ve been lucky I’m from Norway. Got a lot of firsts.”
One big reason the Wild may want Zuccarello back is his impact on Kirill Kaprizov on and off the ice. When Kaprizov arrived from Russia barely knowing a lick of English, Zuccarello took him under his wing, showed him the ropes. And he’s still the player who meshes most consistently with Kaprizov on the ice, getting pucks into his wheelhouse.
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Zuccarello says he has confided in Kaprizov about his future, “but we’ve gotta keep that between us.”
“The impact that he’s had on the ice speaks for itself,” Guerin said. “But he’s also got a big voice in the room. He’s a guy that’s very competitive, and he’s had a great career. But he’s smart. He’s very intelligent. Guys listen to him. He’s always got a lot to say.”
Added Zuccarello, “To be honest with you, I think all of these guys would have been good with or without me. I’m just appreciative of the friendships that I’ve gotten here throughout the seven years, the people around in Minnesota that I get to know.
“Obviously, it’s humbling if someone said that I’ve helped them. But, honestly, I think most of these guys would have been where they are with or without me. So, I think it’s just, for me, I do love it here with this group and got lifelong friends here. I think we’re all helping each other in some kind of way. They’re helping me feel young and still going. I give them a lot of credit as well.”
The Wild are coming off a disappointing loss in Game 4 to dig themselves a 3-1 series hole. You know Zuccarello is going to do everything in his power to make sure Wednesday’s game in Colorado isn’t the final game in his and his teammates’ season, much less his career.
“We went to the (Stanley Cup Final 12 years ago with the Rangers),” he said. “Back then, you thought, you’re younger, I’ll get another chance at it. But then comes fast and 12 years later you haven’t been back. So I think you just know that it’s gonna go fast and take advantage of the opportunities that you have. At least I would tell young Mats that. I still enjoy it. I don’t feel like I’m 38, I feel like I’m younger.”
