PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) When Jason Zucker was traded to Pittsburgh in February of 2020, he knew he wouldn't face his former team for a while, since the Penguins had already played Minnesota twice that season. But little did he know it would take 20 months for that to happen.
Zucker will play against his former club tonight when the Pens host the Minnesota Wild – 7:00 at PPG Paints Arena - and he's looking forward to it.
"It's been a little bizarre," Zucker was saying after Friday's practice. "I feel like I've been here ten years now and still haven't played them. I still have a lot of good friends over there. I have a ton of respect for the organization, the way they treated me and the opportunity they gave me. It should be an exciting game."
Zucker feels he still hasn't come close to performing up to the level the Penguins and their fans expected when they gave up a package including a first round draft pick to get him. After picking up 12 points, including 6 goals, in his first 15 games before 2020 was cut short by Covid – then 2 goals in the 4 bubble games in the playoffs – his production tailed off considerably the last shortened season.
Zucker managed just 18 points – 9 goals - in 38 games as he also missed 18 games with a lower body injury. He had said going into this season that his main problem was not shooting enough. So far, this season, Zucker leads the team with 31 shots on goal.
"Yeah, I think it's definitely been a better step for me, back to where I wanted to start the year," says Zucker who has 3 goals, but none in the last 3 games. "Obviously the last few games the points haven't come but the chances have been there."
With Sidney Crosby in the protocol after just one game back, Zucker once again has Evan Rodrigues as his center with Kasperi Kapanen on the other wing. "I think we've played some pretty good hockey other than that one Calgary game," he says. "I don't think we played to our level as a team but overall I like where our team is at right now."
Zucker is looking forward to facing off against some of his old friends while hoping his new friends can stay away from Covid. "For us at this point It's almost laughable. It seems like every day it's somebody else and something else going on. We're just trying to take it in stride with a next man up mentality."
