Zuccarello showing size only matters in heart; Lighting up the Big Apple

The "Norwegian Hobbit" has been quite a surprise for the New York Rangers. The imposing 5'7 174 lb winger has been enjoying recent success since his call-up to New York just before Christmas. He has scored points in bunches, as he currently sits with six goals and 13 assists for 19 points in 33 games for the Rangers. When Derek Stepan failed to mesh with superstar Marian Gaborik, Stepan needed talented wingers to play with. No more than two weeks after Zuccarello was called up, the Rangers announced that they had traded defenseman Michael Rozsival for Phoenix winger Wojtek Wolski. Since the trade, Zuccarello has spent over one third of his ice time on a line with Stepan and Wolski (Dobber Hockey). They have become a cohesive unit, which is very rare with John Tortorella at the helm. The trio has been successful for the most part, creating chances and provided secondary scoring on a team that struggles to consistently score goals.

New York is currently tied for fifth in the East in goals with 193. Of that, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky account for 59 of those. The Rangers have seven players with goal totals in the double digits and two more are sitting at nine each. Dubinsky, Stepan, Gaborik and Artem Anisimov can challenge for 20 goals at seasons' end, while there are plenty of wingers providing secondary support as well. TSN estimates that Zuccarello is on pace for eight goals and 26 points (TSN), which is excellent for the small forward getting used to the rigors of the physical game in North America. Over an 82 game schedule, MZA's totals average out to 15 goals and 32 assists, placing him in the top-8 in scoring for the squad.

Things did not start well for the 23-year old in the 2010-11 season. During training camp Zuccarello looked lost. He did not perform well and was not adjusting to the style of play that both Coach Tortorella employed and the grind that the NHL required. He was sent down to AHL Connecticut (Connectiford, Harticut?). During his time in the AHL with the Wolf...err, Whale, he had a rocky start followed with a true breakout. In his first 12 games, Mats scored a grand total of two goals, which were his only points. It was the start of November where he started to put things together in the AHL. He put up 23 points in 22 games leading up to his promotion to the NHL, proving that he could be successful at his size in North America and showing that he has adjusted to the professional game here.

In his first ten games in the NHL, Zuccarello was playing well yet not putting up points. He recorded four points, including his first career goal, in that stretch. After that he put up nine points in his next nine games, highlighted by a game in which he recorded an assist on each of the Rangers' three goals in a 4-3 loss to the Panthers. Mats has posted three goals in his past two games, doubling his goal total on the season. In yesterday's 7-0 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers, he scored two goals in two very different ways. The first goal he scored was the result of a two-on-one where Zuccarello received a tape to tape pass from Ruslan Fedetenko and beat goalie Brian Boucher under his right pad. On his second tally of the afternoon, Mats was in front of the net while Wojtek Wolski got to the loose puck in the corner. Once Wolski got control of the puck, he threw it to the crease where Zuccarello shot it past Sergei Bobrovsky (who replaced Boucher early in the second period). Against the Senators, Zuccarello was at it again in front of the net. He was in front of goaltender Craig Anderson, got the puck and made a move to the wide side to net the goal. He has shown flashes of brilliance and he has his niche on the team chiseled out.

Numbers do not tell the entire story with Zuccarello, though I do love considering hockey a numbers game. What the stats sheet does not tell a reader is his attitude and skill set on the ice. Zuccarello has deceptive speed and he can fool an opponent with it. He has a good wrist shot and is an excellent passer. He also has slotted into the left point on the powerplay, using his hockey sense and passing to set up teammates and sometimes even take a shot to create a chance. As exemplified above with his ability to get to the net, he is able to get lost in the fray and use his soft hands to beat the opposing goaltender. Zuccarello has shown to be incredibly tough and adds a little grit to his game, pushing and shoving with players that are almost a foot taller than him after the whistle. He does not hold back, and is more than willing to lay or take a hit to make a play. I guess with all of this being said, if Gaborik is Budweiser then Zuccarello is Bud Select 55. He is not quite the superstar that Marian has proven to be, but Zuccarello can sneak behind the opponent's defense and wreak havoc with an arsenal of weapons.

The creative Norwegian is signed for one more season with an affordable cap hit of $1,750,000 (Capgeek.com). Stepan and Wolski are also signed through next year (Stepan through 2012-13 on an entry-level deal) and are sure to be penciled in as a line together. They have shown chemistry and Stepan has been able to take advantage of that en route to what could be a 20 goal 50 point rookie season. The "Norwegian Hobbit" looks to continue his recent success and prove that the Rangers made the right choice in pursuing him out of the SEL. Mats Zuccarello is showing that size only matters in heart at the NHL level.

Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports via Getty Images