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| The door is wide open for Jason Zucker. Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn/USA Today |
You see all that, Jason Zucker. Christmas came early for you this year. You have been given a third chance to stick with the team this year. Some players dont get any. You have been given THREE!!
So far this year, you have been held pointless in six games and register a -1 on the +/- scale. You have averaged 12:56 of TOI and are rarely seen once the game switches from period two to period three. You are a frequent visitor to Mike Yeo's doghouse of bad defensive zone play, which has lead to you being sent back to Iowa twice this year.
I don't know about you, but I sure would not want to keep going back to Iowa.
Tonight, you are going to play on the second line with fellow youngsters Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter. You may even get a chance to get some power play time if the situation calls for it. You are going to get top six minutes! You have a chance to ignite an offense that has gone as cold as the temperature in the Twin Cities.
So please, tonight when you hit the ice in Anaheim, find it in yourself to be that player we all loved last year who had the hustle of Zach Parise at all times on the ice. Don't let the coach find a reason to send you back down I-35.
This is your third chance with the team this year, Mr. Zucker. Please make it count.
Follow Giles on Twitter @gilesferrell
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ReplyDeleteHe's got a great ceiling. I think his handling by Yeo is really deep/interesting. His poor play can be noticeable, but Yeo demands super high play from him and reacts very quickly to anything below his standard. He gets sent down for seemingly minor issues. It has worked to spur on the other young talent that has been in the exchange with Iowa.