ICYMI: Jason Zucker Traded to the Penguins

Jason Zucker Traded

What Did Pittsburgh Get From the Trade?

Jason Zucker is one of the fastest skaters in the league, and he has been a key part for the Wild over the past few seasons. He’s consistently got around 45 points per season and gave the Wild a different style with his strong skating. He is tenacious in front of goal, and creates a lot of good chances, even though his shot sometimes let him down. Put him on a line with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and the 28-year-old winger has a chance to thrive. With a reasonable contract for the next few seasons at $5.5 Million AAV, he will more than likely be a part of the Penguins for the foreseeable future, so this is a real opportunity for Zucker long-term.

With this move, Pittsburgh has also shown that they fully believe that they can compete for another cup. Jason Zucker offers them a lot of speed on the top lines, and Zucker’s role in Pittsburgh will be similar to what Jake Guentzel had before his major injury back in December. Even without Guentzel in the lineup, the Penguins have been finding ways to win games. With Zucker added to the lineup, Pittsburgh are hoping for another deep playoff run.

What Did Minnesota Get From the Trade?

The Wild managed to acquire a few different parts to their franchise, with the most well-known name being Alex Galchenyuk. The former Montreal Canadien has been struggling in Pittsburgh and with an expiring contract, he could be seen as a cap dump in this trade. However, if Galchenyuk can rediscover his past form under Bruce Boudreau, he could become an asset for the Wild. This is potentially Galchenyuk’s last chance to reach his potential, one that he showed signs of in 2015-2016. His role on the Wild be a direct replacement for Jason Zucker, possibly on the same line as the red-hot Kevin Fiala, who could be a player that can get the best of Galchenyuk.

The main part of the trade, however, is Calen Addison. The defenseman from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL, is having another great season with 43 points in 39 games. He was a huge part of the Canadian WJC team that won gold a few months ago. One of Addison’s major qualities is his strong vision. This is especially on noticeable on the powerplay, where he is able to be the perfect blueline QB. This quality could make him a perfect player for Minnesota in a few years time. Right now, he is the most exciting part of the Wild’s defensive prospect pool, that until Addison’s arrival, looked more than lacking.

The remaining acquisition of the trade that the Wild received is the first-round pick. A pick which more than likely, will be late in this year’s draft. However, with the depth and strength of the draft, this could easily end up being a solid player. The Wild has been starving for a stronger prospect pool for years, and this gives them a chance to boost it.

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Jason Zucker Traded