Jason Zucker reacted to his fight against Brenden Dillon and how to get up for Carolina. As the Pittsburgh Penguins hit their midseason point, there have been a number of pleasant surprises within the lineup. Chief among them has to be how improved Jason Zucker has looked on the Penguins second line through 42 games. The last two years weren’t the greatest from Zucker, and he knew that; he came into this year looking to get himself back on track, especially in the final year of his contract. In 37 appearances, Zucker has already surpassed his point totals from each of the past two seasons, and there doesn’t seem to be a sign of slowing down. With 10 goals and 16 assists, Zucker has been making magic with his center in Evgeni Malkin and driving the play of every shift. Zucker isn’t just recording points at a pleasant new level, but he’s also been a wrecking ball, piling up 111 hits. Things have clicked at the right time for Zucker, with contract negotiations on the horizon. Had the 2022-23 season not gone the way it has for Zucker, it would have been totally reasonable to allow him to walk in the offseason, or even search for a trade partner. But, since Zucker has put together this kind of season and he fits the kind of mold the Penguins need in their lineup, he deserves a new deal. The question then becomes, however, what does that new deal look like for Pittsburgh? It’s hard to come to a realistic conclusion considering he’s about to turn 32-years-old and has put hard miles into his game. Zucker’s suffered some sort of injury in each of the last three seasons and his style of game won’t be making any changes. A reasonable comparison for the signing would be to look at Bryan Rust’s contract; $5.125 million for six seasons. Zucker and Rust are two very similar players in terms of age and offensive production; they both sit at 26 points on the year and can play well on the same line. Another player hitting 26 points on the Penguins is Rickard Rakell and he was also signed to a six-year deal but at $5 million even. Zucker’s expiring deal has him making $5.5 against the cap and it’s curious what his next number will look like. Does it increase? Decrease? Maybe it stays right around there; but also, how long does a new Zucker contract last? General manager Ron Hextall was generous last summer with his contract negotiating, handing out multiple six-year deals. It wouldn’t be smart to give Zucker the six-year length, but completely fair to hover around his current cap hit, ideally shaving the price closer to Rust’s or Rakell’s. If the Penguins can land Zucker at that kind of price tag, and a term that’s good for both parties, it’s a steal of a deal and everyone should walk away happy. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0oGhugqvK8[/embed] Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Mike Sullivan Again Wants Penguins to Simplify Power Play [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/mike-sullivan-wants-pittsburgh-penguins-simplify-power-play] Hurricanes Sweep Regular Season Series Over Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/carolina-hurricanes-sweep-regular-season-series-pittsburgh-penguins] Marcus Pettersson Out Again, Casey DeSmith Starting Goalie for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/marcus-pettersson-out-casey-desmith-starting-goalie-pittsburgh-penguins] Danton Heinen Has Become Unplayable Option for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/danton-heinen-unplayable-option-pittsburgh-penguins] Drew O'Connor Earning More Chances with Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/drew-oconnor-earning-chances-pittsburgh-penguins] * undefined * undefined
