That articel says a couple of interesting things.
1. A raise of 3.5 per to 4.5 per isn't impossible. That has been my belief all along. If Zucc takes 4.3. to 4.5 per long term he could stay. If that isn't good enough for him, then he must go. For what he adds, for what he does for the team, I think if we brought him back long term at 4.5 per tops I would be happy with that. If he wants more he needs to go, and rightfully so. To me as much as I like him, he isn't a 5 mill + per player.
2. Mentions Bozak as the potential target. He does make sense. He is not a small guy. He can win face-offs. He can score 18 goals and 45 points. He shoots righty, which is a plus for the team and the PP. He would make us very solid down the middle IMO, which is a key for us in the playoffs. His 4.2 mill per cap hit I bet is right in the range they would be willing to pay Zucc. So he does make sense. The downside is he's been terrible this month, especially since they moved him down to the 3rd line. Just wonder if he was a product of Kessel scoring and he rode those coat-tails. Would he perform well on the 3rd line here with Hags and Hayes let's say? Could be a concern.
3. If we dealt Zucc, and got Bozak back, we'd still need to add another player IMO. Losing Zucc and gaining Bozak adds zero depth to this team, and we need it badly upfront.
4. This portion nails exactly how I feel:
Many believe the Rangers are trying to obtain defenseman Andrej Sekera, but the rumor mill has the Leafs very active in the market. I’m still trying to understand this obsession to acquire Sekera to play 6th man on defense.
The Rangers issue is depth at center, especially in the face-off circle. Maybe the Blueshirts are trying to acquire 28 year old center, Tyler Bozak who has the same exact cap hit as Zuccarello’s $3.5M.
Never understood why we would want Sekera for a little 6th dman upgrade, when forward depth is a way bigger concern. If we can add a solid depth dman for a low pick or medium prospect, sure, but it is not the biggest concern.
