Just when it looked like Mats Zuccarello's time with the New York Rangers might be coming to a close, general manager Glen Sather found a way to keep him around.
The Rangers and Zuccarrelo have agreed to terms on a four-year $18 million contract on Sunday just one day after rumors surfaced that the team was listening to offers on the forward ahead of the NHL trade deadline, according to ESPN's Katie Strang. The deal also reportedly has a partial no-trade clause.
Zuccarello was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after this season if the two sides could not agree on a new contract extension.
Given the Rangers' salary cap situation in future years it is a bit of a surprise that they were able to get this deal done. It also seems like Zuccarello did them a bit of a favor by taking the dollar amount that he did because he likely could have received even more on the open market this summer as a free agent. Perhaps the possibility of being traded convinced him to lower his demands or to convince the two sides to get a deal done.
Zuccarello was the Rangers' leading scorer during the 2013-14 season when they went to the Stanley Cup Final. In 59 games this season he has 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists).
The signing caps off a wild day for the Rangers that saw them acquire defenseman Keith Yandle and forward James Sheppard in separate trades, while also sending forward Lee Stempniak to the Winnipeg Jets.
