NHL Rumors: Wild's Mats Zuccarello Makes Big Revelation On Playing Future
Mats Zuccarello’s future with the Minnesota Wild is officially in wait-and-see mode.
The 38-year-old winger, still riding shotgun with close friend Kirill Kaprizov on the top line, admits he hasn’t decided whether he’ll play beyond this season, the final year of his two-year, $8.25 million deal.
After core muscle surgery wiped out training camp and the first 15 games, he wants to use the rest of the year as a personal measuring stick to determine if he still feels good enough to play at this level, he said in an interview with Michael Russo of The Athletic.
He’d like to keep going, but if not, he reportedly refuses to be the veteran hanging on and taking a spot he doesn’t feel he deserves.
Season-To-Season Mindset For An Aging Playmaker
Zuccarello is averaging just under a point per game since his mid-30s, and he credits that spike to playing with an elite talent like Kaprizov after his earlier years with the New York Rangers.
Off the ice, he has full support from his wife Marlene, who is expecting their third child, but he insists the decision comes down to how his body and his game hold up over the grind of the season.
MATS ZUCCARELLO ON THE BREAKAWAY #MNWild
— PrimeLewis23 (@retro_minnesota) November 20, 2025
pic.twitter.com/ApEX2pT4qy
He doesn’t want to “look old on the ice,” and he was blunt, saying that recovery and timing simply take longer now.
Rekindling Chemistry With Kaprizov As Wild Reset
The Wild stumbled out to a 5-7-3 start without Zuccarello, then immediately steadied at 2-0-1 once he returned, even as he insists he hasn’t been happy with his overall play yet.
He and Kaprizov both feel they need to drive more at five-on-five, especially after some rough underlying numbers and a tough night where their line was heavily out-attempted before an overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
With Marco Rossi sidelined and Ryan Hartman sliding back between them, Zuccarello is trying to build back his game speed and help drag Minnesota out of its early spiral.
When Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov are on the ice, you may just see a highlight reel goal like this 🤩
— NHL (@NHL) November 8, 2025
NHL x @MassMutual pic.twitter.com/AMfU4EY1eI
Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
