This is a strange time for Mats Zuccarello.
The Rangers winger has heard his name in all the rumors, knows that with his expiring contract he is a valuable piece to general manager Jeff Gorton as the club thinks about the Feb. 25 trade deadline and the roster rebuilding that is being undertaken. The emotional 31-year-old Norwegian has also dealt with all that while trying to come back from a right-groin injury that has sidelined him essentially since it occurred on Nov. 6.
But despite two games played during the 15-game interim — false starts from the injury that Zuccarello himself called “stupid” and “selfish” — he now finally seems near 100 percent and ready for a full return with Friday’s Garden match against the Coyotes.