New York Rangers' Mats Zuccarello Failing to Meet Expectations Set Last Season

The New York Rangers fell to 4-4-0 on the season after a Saturday night loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada, and it was another goal-less game by Mats Zuccarello. The Rangers have received some unexpected early scoring from Rick Nash, but the team's leading scorer for last season has nothing to show for his efforts thus far.

Through seven games, Zuccarello has a lone assist and only 12 shots on goal. The speedy Norwegian has not been a factor at all for the Rangers, and that is a drastic difference from last season. During the Rangers' 2013-14 campaign, Zuccarello appeared in 77 games, and he tallied 19 goals and 40 assists for 59 points.

The numbers enabled Zuccarello to set career highs in all categories, and it landed him a new contract worth $3.5 million. Heading into this season it was expected that Zuccarello would once again be a force for the Rangers, but through seven games he has been silent.

No one expected Zuccarello to be a point-per-game player this season, but at the very least he should have three goals and five points. That would come under what he averaged last season, but it would still be better than what he is producing now.

His inactivity to date has been disheartening, but there are some contributing factors that could explain it.

The one major change that has impacted Zuccarello in 2014-15 is the winger who stands on the other side of Derick Brassard. Benoit Pouliot found great chemistry with "Zucc" and "Brass" last season, but the Edmonton Oilers gave him 20 million reasons to leave the team this past summer.

Although the loss of Pouliot eliminated size and tenacity from the line, it isn't like the Rangers replaced him with a plug. Martin St. Louis has been skating with the line with frequency, and although he lacks Pouliot's size, he makes up for it in speed, creativity and offensive acumen.

In theory, the line should work, but to date it has been stale. It may be a case in which there are too many playmakers and not a bona fide finisher on the line, and that could explain Zuccarello's lack of assist totals thus far.

There were numerous occasions last season in which he made a stellar pass that was finished by Pouliot, but to date his playmaking side has also been nearly nonexistent.

To rectify this deficiency, it might make sense to eventually put Chris Kreider in this role, because he is practically a better offensive version of Pouliot. The size and speed comparison is spot-on, as Kreider is 6'3" and 223 pounds, whereas Pouliot comes in at 6'3" and a much slighter 193 pounds.

While I could go on and on about Zuccarello's struggles with playmaking thus far, there is a second major area of concern in which he needs to improve.

The fact that Zuccarello doesn't have a goal to his name thus far is alarming. He's a great skater, has great hands and sees the ice well, so it is baffling that he's been kept off the board.

His lack of shots appears to be the root of the problem and taking more of them could help him. By no means is Zuccarello a player who takes a ton of shots—he tallied only 170 last year—but 12 shots is a low number. One thing that has been noticeable is where he is taking his shots.

Here is a chart from Sporting Charts; Zuccarello's shots against the Canadiens are not reflected. Take a look at the left-hand side.

Credit: Sporting Charts

You see that Zuccarello has about four shots that are in close. They are rebound and stuff in attempts and point-blank projectiles on net.

Zucc also has one shot from about the point near the left offensive-zone faceoff circle, one near the point of the right offensive circle and three shots in between the dots and the hash marks.

With this in mind, it is hard to believe that one hasn't gone in. These shots can be described as "grade A" chances and ones that usually go in. Had Zuccarello's shots been primarily from the blue line or the outer parts of the faceoff circle, it would be clearer why he isn't scoring.

While it is frustrating to say the least, the Rangers should take some solace that their diminutive winger is getting in prime-real-estate areas, and he will eventually get a shot past the goaltender that can result in a scoring surge.

Overall, Zuccarello needs to step up, because he is a dynamic winger who can be a factor for the Rangers. He draws defenders when he is buzzing up and down the ice at his best, and that hasn't happened yet in 2014-15.

It was exactly a year and a day ago Saturday that the Hobbit was a healthy scratch after a poor start to the 2013-14 season, so maybe it is fair to say that he's just a slow starter.

I doubt head coach Alain Vigneault would scratch Zuccarello again, but he needs to keep plugging away.

He showed last season why he often was the Blueshirts' best player on the ice, and the Rangers are a better team when his line is scoring. After a frustrating loss against the Habs, Vigneault could shuffle the decks, and if he does it would make sense to bump St. Louis off the line in place of Kreider.

Zuccarello was at his best last year with a Brassard and Pouliot, so it would make sense for the Rangers to create the structure of that line to get him going. The Rangers' next game is against a very hot Minnesota Wild team, and they will need a clicking offense to get pucks past Darcy Kuemper.

Stats via NHL.com unless mentioned.