Las Vegas’ Jason Zucker re-signs with NHL’s Wild
Jason Zucker wanted to remain a member of the Minnesota Wild. On Wednesday, he got his wish.
The 24-year-old, who grew up in Las Vegas, signed a two-year, $4 million extension to remain with the Wild, the team that selected him in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft.
“I wanted to get it done sooner than later,” said Zucker, who is getting married next month to Minneapolis sportscaster Carly Aplin. “My first choice was to stay with the Wild. I’m very happy with the way everything turned out.”
Zucker, who would have been a restricted free agent, received a qualifying offer from the team Saturday. He made $950,000 last season, when he scored 13 goals and finished with 23 points during an inconsistent year that came after his most productive season, when he had 21 goals and 26 points in 51 games.
He had 11 goals in his first 40 games last season but just two the rest of the way, as his ice time was diminished under former coach Mike Yeo and he was shuffled between various lines by interim coach John Torchetti.
On Feb. 21, Zucker was checked hard by Chicago’s Michal Rozsival in the Wild’s Stadium Series outdoor game in Minneapolis, and he missed six games with a concussion. He returned to the lineup in early March and had two assists in Minnesota’s first-round playoff series loss to Dallas.
“We are happy to have Jason under contract for the next two seasons,” Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said in an email. “He is an exciting young player that we expect will continue to develop and help our team be successful.”
Zucker is looking forward to a fresh start playing for new coach Bruce Boudreau, who was hired by Minnesota after Anaheim fired him following the Ducks’ first-round exit from the playoffs.
“I haven’t sat down with him yet, but he has shown numerous times he’s one of the best coaches around,” Zucker said. “I understand he’s going to come in with an open mind. As a player, that’s all you can ask of a new coach.”
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow on Twitter: @stevecarprj
