Penguins Would Be Lost Without Jason Zucker
Jason Zucker hasn't been the best Pittsburgh Penguins skater, but he's been among the most important.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had themselves a rough season, and with only two games remaining, it’s still uncertain if they will reach the postseason.
One thing that is certain, however, is that the resurgent season from Jason Zucker has played a huge role in keeping the Penguins locked in the tight wild card race.
Over his career, Zucker has always been a solid hockey player, but he’s been a different animal during the 2022-23 season.
Zucker isn’t putting up career-high numbers, but he is having the second most productive season he’s ever had.
In 76 games this year, with a pair remaining, Zucker has picked up 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points; his five game winning goals are good for third on the Penguins.
Zucker’s career-high in goals and points came in 2017-18 when he put up 33 goals and 64 points.
Who knows where the Penguins would be without Zucker’s production this year?
Despite his injuries, the Penguins just weren’t getting enough from Zucker over the last two seasons, but he’s turned a new page.
The Penguins also haven’t seen nearly good enough numbers from their bottom-six, and a player like Zucker rebounding was in dire need.
Any time the Penguins need a big goal to build momentum or gain some ground, Zucker has provided that.
Zucker has battled through injuries the past few seasons, but that hasn’t slowed down his physicality.
About to cross 200, Zucker leads the Penguins in hits with 197, not just scoring big goals but opening space for his linemates to create chances.
The most impressive part of Zucker’s numbers, though, has to be that it’s almost all at 5-on-5.
Zucker has only scored nine points (2G-7A) while on the power play; the power play has struggled all season and a few extra points from someone like Zucker would go a long way, but he’s proven to produce whenever he needs to.
The Penguins might not be in a playoff spot, but Zucker will play a huge role in these final two games in pushing them in the right direction.
There have been reports that Ron Hextall targeted J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks, and Zucker would be heading the other way.
It’s hard to imagine a Penguins team fighting the same way without Zucker in the lineup.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more!
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins