The next 2 summers are certainly going to be a lot more interesting than this summer has been. Next year alone they'll have Zuccarello, Foligno, Hartman, Goligoski, and MAF coming off the books which finally gives them some flexibility on trying to land a center in a trade. I'm sure at least 2 of those guys will be back, but that still gives them some room to move unlike this year.

I’m going to puke if they bring Zuccarello back! I actually think a big, all-around RHD is a much more important target than a center now.

I'll get the bucket ready!

I actually think keeping him around a couple more years COULD be good, but that's 100% dependent on cost and term. I wouldn't sign him for more than 2 years, then just go year by year until he's ready to retire or they don't have a spot anymore.

That time will be this coming season - mark my words!

Who would replace him as a top 6 RW? Right now you have him and Boldy, with Yurov being the only draft pick I can think of that projects to be a top 6 RW. Of course you can always take one of the LW or C and try them out on the right side.

If Zucc can still produce and doesn't cost a lot, you can always bump him down to 3RW if someone else is ready for his top 6 spot.

He has way too many holes in his game for him to be anything but a top 6 forward and I would argue with anyone he wasn’t even that the 2nd half of the season or the playoffs last year. He was absolutely brutal! He can’t move fast enough to defend, and he is a turnover machine the other 2/3rds of the rink! The ONLY value he has left is his friendship/chemistry with Kaprizov…and even that is incredibly overrated!

You're responding like I'm defending him. I'm aware he has deficiencies in his game, I'm just saying they literally don't have anyone better or ready for the spot so might as well just keep him around if he's cheap enough and the contract is short enough. If he wants too much or wants something insane like a 4 year deal, let him walk and see who you can get in day 3 of free agency when bargains start to get signed.

Didn’t intend to come across that way, sorry! I’m pretty passionate about my evaluation of Zuccarello so I talk bigger than I realize. Anyway, I wouldn’t give him more than a one year deal…and then maybe another one year deal, etc.

If he's cheap enough, I'd do 2 but yeah, ideally they can just go year to year until either he regresses too much or someone else takes his spot. Hopefully someone has a good camp and forces the team's hand sooner.