Mats Zuccarello’s future with the Rangers may have hit a snag.
That’s the word out of New York on Thursday as the New York Post reports Zuccarello, the 25-year-old Norwegian forward currently with KHL Magnitogorsk, might have issues with rejoining his former club after the Blueshirts claimed Roman Hamrlik off waivers from Washington.
Here’s more, from the Post’s Larry Brooks:
Hamrlik represents the 49th player under contract in the organization, one under the league maximum. Adding Zuccarello, the restricted free agent whose Magnitogorsk Metallurg KHL team was eliminated from the the playoffs on Tuesday, would severely restrict the Rangers’ options approaching the April 3 trade deadline.
General manager Glen Sather told The Post last week that he would reach out to Zuccarello at the conclusion of his season, but the club has not presented the winger with a formal offer despite having had informal discussions on the matter with agent Don Meehan.
Zuccarello is under a two-year contract that contains an NHL out clause after this season. The Blueshirts would therefore have to extend the 25-year-old a one-way offer through at least next season in order to induce him to leave Russia.
Zuccarello was with the Rangers from 2010-12 before jumping to the KHL last May.
His playing time under John Tortorella evaporated from year one to year two. After a moderately successful first season in New York -- 6G-17A-23PTS in 42 games -- Zuccarello only appeared in 10 games last year, spending most of the season with AHL Connecticut, where he produced at a point-a-game clip.
The 5-foot-7, 180-pound winger scored 28 points in 44 games for Magnitogorsk this season and could spark the Rangers offense, currently sitting 20th in goals per game (2.53) and 24th in power play effectiveness (14.7 percent).