7/1/19 | Zuccarello officially signs with Minnesota for five-years at $6 million per season.

6/30/19 | 7:35PM: Zuccarello is likely to sign a five-year deal worth around $6 million per season when free agency opens. (McKenzie)

8:36AM: The Dallas Stars are believed to be the leaders to sign San Jose captain Joe Pavelski and that would likely see Mats Zuccarello sign with another team. (The Athletic)

If Zuccarello signs with Dallas then the Rangers would get the Stars’ 2020 first round pick instead of the Stars’ 2020 third round pick.

It’s believed that Zuccarello is looking for a five-year deal while the Stars are offering a four-year deal.

Minnesota has reportedly expressed “serious interest” in Zuccarello and are prepared to offer him a “lucrative long-term contract. (The Athletic)

Zuccarello is also believed to be a target of John Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets. (The Athletic)

Adam Rotter: The door to Zuccarello returning to the Stars isn’t completely closed and could open wide again if Joe Pavelski decides to go to Tampa instead of Dallas. The feeling around the NHL is that someone will give Zuccarello five-years but that if Zuccarello wants to join a team with a real chance to win, he may need to sign shorter term. Colorado fits that mold and he would be perfect on their second line but it’s not known if they are willing to go past three-years, maybe four. Columbus would be interesting as both he and John Tortorella are different people since they were last together in 2013 but they had a very up and down relationship.

As to how some of this relates to the Rangers, I wonder if they will pursue Valeri Nichushkin after he is bought out by Dallas. He’s 24, Russian and despite not scoring a goal in 57 games last season, was still a #10 overall pick in 2013. He played the first two-years of his career under Lindy Ruff so the Rangers surely have a good book on him and he would fit in the Ryan Strome mold of former high picks looking for a fresh start.

7:36PM: The Wild seem like a team in transition but they are giving Zuccarello what he wants in a five-year contract. Dallas presents a better chance to win than Minnesota, so does Colorado, but term was a priority for Zuccarello and he got it. The Rangers threatened to move Zuccarello before he signed his extension in 2015 and they got him at below market value. Now one of Zuccarello’s priorities was landing the deal he probably could have landed had he been a UFA four-years ago. So in the end Zuccarello goes to Minnesota and the Rangers land Matthew Robertson with the second round pick they got this year and they will get a third-round pick next year.

6/28/19  | Zuccarello and the Stars have reportedly come closer in terms of annual salary but Zuccarello continues to want five-years while the Stars are only offering four-years. (The Athletic)

6/23/19 | While former Ranger Mats Zuccarello is still negotiating with Dallas, he will begin speaking with other interested teams today. (NHL.com)

Stars GM Jim Nill said that Zuccarello wants to “see what else is out there and then we will swing back and see where he’s at.” (NHL.com)

Frank Seravalli said that the Stars would prefer Zuccarello on a four-year deal while Zuccarello is likely looking for a five-year deal. (TSN)

Sean Shapiro writes in The Athletic that Dallas reportedly looks at Zuccarello as a player worth $5 million per season while Zuccarello sees himself as someone worth $6 million per season.

Elliotte Friedman wrote last week that there was “mutual desire” between Zuccarello and Dallas for an extension. (Sportsnet)

If Zuccarello re-signs with Dallas then the 2020 conditional third-round pick the Stars sent the Rangers would turn into a 2020 first round pick.

The Rangers also acquired Dallas’ 2019 second round pick which they used yesterday on Matthew Roberstson.

Adam Rotter: The feeling around the NHL is that Zuccarello will work something out with the Stars, probably somewhere in the four-year, $5.5 million range. If that doesn’t happen then Zuccarello becomes one of the top UFA wingers on the market and will likely draw a lot of interest. Could he return to the Rangers? If things don’t work out in Dallas, Artemi Panarin signs elsewhere and the Rangers move on from Chris Kreider, and to a lesser extent Jimmy Vesey, then I think it’s possible that Zuccarello returns. I don’t think Zuccarello would necessarily take a discount to return but if things were equal between the Rangers and another team, I think he’d opt to return. A lot needs to happen to even get to the point where the Rangers and Zuccarello entertain a reunion, but in the right circumstances I think it could happen. Ultimately I think he stays in Dallas and the Rangers get their 2020 first rounder but that Zuccarello returns to New York as a trade deadline rental in a few years to help the Rangers make a run.

5/9 | Zuccarello said on Thursday that he likes it when a team believes in him and coach Jim Montgomery told him that he’d like to have him back. (SportsDay)

Dallas GM Jim Nill said that Zuccarello “fit like a glove” and that he’s like to keep him. (SportsDay)

5/8 | Larry Brooks writes that Zuccarello is likely to get a four-year deal worth $5.75 million per season, including a no-move clause, in his next contract. (NY Post)

5/7 | The Dallas Stars were eliminated by St. Louis in Game Seven and the Rangers will officially receive Dallas’ second round pick in 2019  as part of the Mats Zuccarello trade.

The Rangers will get the 48th (if Colorado defeats San Jose) or 49th (if San Jose defeats Colorado) pick overall from Dallas.

The Rangers are slated to receive Dallas’ third round pick in 2020 but that will turn into Dallas’ first round pick in 2020 if the Zuccarello re-signs with the Stars this summer.

Elliote Friedman said on the 5/2 31 Thoughts Podcast that the chances of Zuccarello re-signing in Dallas are “very reasonable, they love him. He’s been huge for them.” (Sportsnet)

He added, “when I’ve asked, I’ve been told not to dismiss it.” (Sportsnet)

Zuccarello had four goals and seven assists for Dallas in 13 playoff games.

Adam Rotter: I never expected, when the trade was made, that Dallas to get to the Western Conference Final but the fact that they came so close did leave some disappointment that the Rangers won’t be getting their first round pick. While I’m sure the Rangers would have preferred to have another pick in the top-31 in June, pick 49 from Dallas is a pretty useful asset, especially if they want to include it in a trade.

As for where Zuccarello goes next, I think he will stay in Dallas. He fit in perfectly and I don’t think Dallas will care that much for losing their 2020 first rounder. The Stars are built to win now, and like the Rangers of the past, having a player on their roster that can help them win immediately is more important than 2-3-4 years down the road when a, probably. late first round pick might be ready to make an impact. If it’s not Dallas then I think the Rangers would certainly be in play for him, especially if they miss out on Artemi Panarin. I’m sure David Quinn and the Rangers would love to have Zuccarello set an example for Vitali Kravtsov and, likely, Kaapo Kakko. Ultimately though I think Zuccarello’s time with the Rangers is over and that we should get used to seeing him work with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alex Radulov for years to come.

Mats Zuccarello and Dallas defeated Nashville last night in six games to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

The Rangers will get Dallas’ first round pick in 2019 if Dallas defeats St. Louis in the next round and Zuccarello plays in 50% of the playoff games.

If St. Louis defeats Dallas in the second round the Rangers will get Dallas’ 2nd round pick in 2019.

In addition to Dallas moving on, their series win over Nashville means that the first round pick the Rangers got from Winnipeg for Kevin Hayes an be no lower than 21st overall. (NYR)

Adam Rotter: The Rangers can still move up a spot or two with the Winnipeg pick depending on how some of the second round match ups play out. If Vegas plays Colorado than the Rangers automatically move up to 20 since one of those two teams will drop to being in one of the final four spots. If Columbus beats Boston or Toronto in the second round than the Rangers would again move up a spot since Columbus would drop to the final four. if Carolina beats the Caps and then the Isles the Rangers would again move up, but if the Caps beat Carolina the Rangers don’t move up.

Stars GM Jim Nill said that he isn’t in a rush to engage Mats Zuccarello in contract extension talks and that those discussions will happen after the playoffs. (Dallas Sports Day)

The 2020 third round pick that the Rangers acquired as part of the Zuccarello package would turn into a 2020 1st round pick if Zuccarello stays in Dallas.

The 2019 second round pick the Rangers acquired as part of the Zuccarello package turns into a 2019 first round pick if the Stars reach the Western Conference Final and Zuccarello plays in half the games.

Nill said that the Red Wings, when Nill was assistant GM, tried to sign Zuccarello following the 2010 Olympics  and added “you love his energy. He’s kind of a magnet. He’s just a hockey player. He loves hockey. He lives and breathes hockey.” (Dallas Sports Day)

Heading into Wednesday night, Dallas is in the first Wild Card spot in the west with 77 points. They have a 86.5% chance of making the playoffs according to Sports Club Stats.

Mats Zuccarello met with the media in Dallas on Tuesday ahead of the Rangers game against the Stars: (NYR)

• “You leave a team you have been with for a long time and you get to a new team and are really excited to meet the guys and you play and are super high up and you break your arm and you are kind of down again. The team has been gone for a little bit but I’ve been texting with the guys and talking to guys. I feel welcome and happy to be here.”
• On the NYR fans, “I know from being at events and around the City that the fans are unbelievable and they took me in. They pushed me, made me who I am today and same with my teammates. It’s a lot of memories but you try not to think about it too much because it’s over, it’s something that when you retire you look back at and cherish.”
• Did you see Henrik’s reaction, “I saw it, he’s a good actor.” (Big laugh)
• How tough is it to leave those friendships, “it’s tough, some of those guys have been there since Day 1. Staalsie and Kreider, Mika, Brady have all come in and you become a little family, super tight, and there is Hank and his family and kids and everything. It was a really tight relationship and same with Staalsie. I sat next to him on the plan for a lot of years, every day, making fun of each other and having this unique relationship. You are gonna miss that for sure, but I think we will still have that forever.”
• “We stay in touch, Mika, he misses me like I was his boyfriend. (Big laugh) He facetimes me every day. That is nice, I appreciate everything we had as a team.”

Zuccarello will not play tonight after breaking his arm in the second period of his first game with Dallas.

The Rangers traded Zuccarello to Dallas for a 2019 second-round pick that can become a 2019 first-round pick if Dallas makes it to the conference finals and Zuccarello plays in half the games and a 2020 third-round pick that can become a 2020 first-round pick if Zuccarello re-signs in Dallas.

Adam Rotter: Zuccarello was probably the second most popular Ranger, behind Henrik Lundqvist, since he joined the team in 2011. He had his ups and downs under John Tortorella but found his game under Alain Vigneault and became such an important and beloved player. David Quinn loved him and I think the door, from the Rangers side, is wide open for him to return this summer. Will he? That remains to be seen because he is likely going to have opportunities for more money and more years from someone else. My guess, as of now, is that Zuccarello will either stay in Dallas, return to the Rangers or maybe try and attempt to sign somewhere as a package with Carl Hagelin and Derick Brassard.