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Carolina Hurricanes: Should They Consider Mats Zuccarello?

By Austin Blum

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 08: New York Rangers Right Wing Mats Zuccarello (36) takes a wrist shot during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers on February 8, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 08: New York Rangers Right Wing Mats Zuccarello (36) takes a wrist shot during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers on February 8, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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DALLAS, TX – APRIL 15: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the Dallas Stars handles the puck against the Nashville Predators in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the American Airlines Center on April 15, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – APRIL 15: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the Dallas Stars handles the puck against the Nashville Predators in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the American Airlines Center on April 15, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Experience

The Carolina Hurricanes themselves got some much-needed experience in the post season with last season’s Eastern Conference Final appearance. So why not add more players that have a post season résumé.

In 73 career postseason games, Zuccarello has collected 42 points (15 goals and 27 assists). In the 2019 postseason for the Dallas Stars, he was a huge factor for them despite just coming back from a broken arm he suffered just two games after he was acquired. He had 11 points (4 goals and 7 assists) and showed his relentless playing style. He works into dirty areas, despite his size, and that is what is needed in the playoffs.

He has played on franchises that were successful. The Rangers when Zuccarello was there only missed the playoffs once, although he only played one postseason game in his first two years, the team was there. Only in 2017-18 did the Rangers miss the playoffs with Zuccarello playing in a game. He would have missed last year, but the Dallas Stars acquired him at the deadline for their playoff push. This means that he knows what it takes to get there and knows the grind of the playoffs as well.

This can be very beneficial to a team just getting back into the playoffs and fighting for more. Zuccarello, however, despite all this experience, has only been to the Stanley Cup Final once and lost it. So he could be looking for a team that could get him to the championship with the potential to win.

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Question for CC Readers: Do you think Mats Zuccarello would be worth looking at in free agency?

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