Mats Zuccarello Aasen

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Mats Zuccarello
Mats Zuccarello rangers 2011-02-13.JPG
Zuccarello with the Rangers, February 2011
Born (1987-09-01) September 1, 1987 (age 25)
Oslo, Norway
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 New York Rangers
Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
Frisk Tigers (GET)
Modo Hockey (SEL)
National team  Norway
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2004–present

Mats André Zuccarello Aasen (born September 1, 1987) is a Norwegian professional ice hockey winger. He currently plays for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the seventh Norwegian to play in the NHL. Before the NHL he played for Modo Hockey in the Swedish Elitserien for two seasons. In 2010, he won the Guldhjälmen (Golden Helmet), which is awarded annually to the most valuable player in the Elitserien, as decided by a vote of its players.

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Early life [edit]

Zuccarello grew up in the suburbs of Løren in Groruddalen, Oslo. He is of Sicilian[1] and Norwegian ancestry.[2]

At five-years-old, he started playing hockey in Hasle-Løren. After some years in Hasle-Løren, he started playing for Vålerenga where he stayed until the end of lower secondary school. By that time he had been scouted by the Frisk Tigers, who offered him a scholarship at the Norwegian College of Elite Sport, which he accepted.[3]

Playing career [edit]

Norway and Sweden [edit]

Zuccarello began playing full-time for the Tigers in the GET-ligaen, Norway's premiere league, as an 18-year-old. He scored 8 points over 21 games as a rookie in 2005–06. The following season, he improved to 59 points over 43 games, third in league scoring behind Jonas Solberg Andersen and Mathis Olimb. In 2007–08, Zuccarrello helped the Tigers to the best regular season record in the league. Zucarello finished third in league scoring a second consecutive season with 64 points, as he and Tigers teammates Chris Abbott, Cam Abbott, and Marcus Eriksson ranked as the top four GET-ligaen scorers. Zuccarello added 27 points in 15 playoff games, as the Tigers advanced to the Finals, where they were defated in six games by the Storhamar Dragons.

After three seasons in the GET-ligaen, Zuccarello signed with Modo Hockey of the Elitserien, Sweden's premiere league. In his first season with Modo, he ranked third in team scoring with 40 points in 35 games. The following season, he led the team with 23 goals. With a league-leading 64 points, he was awarded the Guldhjälmen as the league's most valuable player, as voted by Elitserien players.

New York Rangers [edit]

In the summer of 2010, he was signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) to a two-year entry-level contract. He started the 2010–11 season with the Hartford Wolf Pack (later renamed Connecticut Whale), the Rangers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate to learn the North American rink dimensions. On December 22, 2010, he was called up to the Rangers following an injury to right winger, Marián Gáborík.[4] He made his NHL debut on December 23, 2010 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the seventh Norwegian player to play in the NHL, and the second undrafted one. Zuccarello logged 17 minutes and 52 seconds of ice time and registered two shots on goal in his NHL debut. As the game remained tied after overtime, Zuccarello scored in the shootout against Lightning goaltender Dan Ellis. The Rangers lost the game 4–3. Though he was re-assigned to the Whale immediately after the game,[5] the Rangers recalled him once more for their next game on December 27, 2010 against the New York Islanders.[6] He earned his first NHL assist during the contest,[7] tying defenceman Anders Myrvold for the Norwegian player with the fewest number of games played before recording an NHL point.[8] The Rangers won the game 7–2. Nine days later in his sixth game, Zuccarello scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Cam Ward three minutes into overtime, leading the Rangers to a 2–1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.[9] On April 1, 2011 he was reassigned to Connecticut after playing 41 games for the Rangers.[10]

On April 13, 2011, Zuccarello became only the second Norwegian to take part in NHL postseason action when the New York Rangers lost 2–1 against the Washington Capitals.[11]

Metallurg Magnitogorsk [edit]

On June 1, 2012 Zuccarello confirmed that he has signed a two-year deal with the KHL team Metallurg Magnitogorsk.[12]

International play [edit]

Zuccarello has represented Norway at the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Canada, the 2009 IIHF World Championship, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2010 IIHF World Championship in Germany. He had to withdraw from the 2011 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia due a hand fracture.

Career statistics [edit]

Regular season and playoffs [edit]

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05 Frisk Tigers GET 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2005–06 Frisk Tigers GET 21 5 3 8 12 4 0 0 0 2
2006–07 Frisk Tigers GET 43 34 25 59 36 7 4 4 8 2
2007–08 Frisk Tigers GET 33 24 40 64 48 15 12 15 27 24
2008–09 Modo Hockey SEL 35 12 28 40 38 — — — — —
2009–10 Modo Hockey SEL 55 23 41 64 62 — — — — —
2010–11 Connecticut Whale AHL 36 13 16 29 16 2 1 1 2 4
2010–11 New York Rangers NHL 42 6 17 23 4 1 0 0 0 2
2011–12 Connecticut Whale AHL 37 12 24 36 22 — — — — —
2011–12 New York Rangers NHL 10 2 1 3 6 — — — — —
2012–13 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL 44 11 17 28 30 7 2 2 4 10
GET totals 98 63 68 131 96 26 16 19 35 28
SEL totals 90 35 69 104 100 — — — — —
AHL totals 73 25 40 65 38 2 1 1 2 4
NHL totals 52 8 18 26 10 1 0 0 0 2

International statistics [edit]

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Norway Jr. WJC U18 6 0 2 2 8
2005 Norway Jr. WJC U18 (D1) 5 2 3 5 6
2006 Norway Jr. WJC 6 0 2 2 4
2007 Norway Jr. WJC (D1) 5 2 5 7 2
2008 Norway WC 7 1 0 1 2
2009 Norway WC 6 3 0 3 8
2010 Norway OG 4 1 2 3 2
2010 Norway WC 6 3 1 4 2
Int' totals 23 8 3 11 14

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.hockeytime.net/2009/04/30/intervista-allitalo-norvegese-mats-zuccarello/
  2. ^ Råve, Geir (February 6, 2008). "Färjestad sikler på Zuccarello Aasen". ABC Nyheter (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
  3. ^ Fossheim, Kenneth (June 11, 2010). "Guttedrømmen går i oppfyllelse". Groruddalen (in Norwegian). Retrieved December 23, 2010. 
  4. ^ Cerny, J. (December 22, 2010). "Zuccarello getting first shot at NHL". New York Rangers. Retrieved December 22, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Zuccarello returned to Connecticut". New York Rangers. December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2010. 
  6. ^ "Zuccarello returns to Rangers roster". New York Rangers. December 27, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2010. 
  7. ^ "NY Rangers 7, NY Islanders 2". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-12-28. 
  8. ^ Olasveengen, F. "Norwegian NHL-records". NIHF. Retrieved 2010-12-29. 
  9. ^ Podell, I. (January 5, 2011). "Zuccarello’s OT goal lifts Rangers over Hurricanes". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2011-01-06. 
  10. ^ "Zuccarello assigned to Whale". newyorkrangers.com. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
  11. ^ Corey Masisak (April 14, 2011). "Semin's OT goal lifts Caps past Rangers, 2–1". nhl.com. Retrieved 2011-04-14. 
  12. ^ http://www.nrk.no/sport/ishockey/1.8173915

External links [edit]

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