Introduction
Jason Alan Zucker (born January 16, 1992) is an American ice hockey player, playing currently for the Minnesota Wild, of the National Hockey League. Zucker participated in the 2010 World Juniors for Team USA and won the gold medal. He was also a member of Team USA's bronze medal winning team at the 2011 World Juniors.
Early life
Zucker, who is Jewish, was born to Scott and Natalie Zucker in Newport Beach, California. When he was two months old, Zucker and his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Zucker moved to Los Angeles for hockey for two years when he was 11, and to Plymouth, Michigan, when he was 15 so he could play with the Compuware AAA Minor Midget Team, and finally to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for two years. He attended Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Playing career
Playing for the University of Denver in 2010–11, he was the WCHA Rookie of the Year, and was also named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and 2nd All-Star Team.
Zucker signed his entry-level contract with the Wild on March 27, 2012, and made his NHL Debut in a victory against the Florida Panthers on March 29, 2012. He scored his first NHL goal against Petr Mrazek on February 17, 2013 in a Wild win over the Detroit Red Wings.
The lockout shortened 2012–13 NHL season saw Zucker split time between the Minnesota Wild and the Houston Aeros. He appeared in 20 regular season games with Minnesota and played mostly on the team's second line alongside Matt Cullen and Devin Setoguchi. He wore the number 16.
On Sunday, May 5, 2013 – Zucker scored at 2:15 of the extra period to give the Wild a 3–2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, to pull within 2–1 in the Western Conference quarterfinal series.
On March 26, 2014, Zucker underwent successful surgery on his left quadriceps to repair a tendon. He missed the remainder of the 2013–14 season, however was ready for the start of the 2014–15 campaign.
Personal life
Jason Zucker married Minneapolis-based Sports & Entertainment Journalist Carly Aplin in the summer of 2016.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2008–09 | U.S. National Under-18 Team | USHL | 52 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | U.S. National Under-18 Team | USHL | 22 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | University of Denver | WCHA | 40 | 23 | 22 | 45 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | University of Denver | WCHA | 38 | 22 | 24 | 46 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Houston Aeros | AHL | 55 | 24 | 26 | 50 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 20 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Iowa Wild | AHL | 22 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 21 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 51 | 21 | 5 | 26 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 71 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 79 | 22 | 25 | 47 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 248 | 64 | 44 | 108 | 80 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | United States | WJC18 | 01 ! |
7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2010 | United States | WJC18 | 01 ! |
7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2010 | United States | WJC | 01 ! |
7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2011 | United States | WJC | 03 ! |
4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012 | United States | WJC | 7th | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | |
| Junior totals | 31 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 6 | ||||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| All-WCHA Rookie Team | 2010–11 | |
| All-WCHA Second Team | 2010–11 | |
| All-WCHA Second Team | 2011–12 | |
| AHCA West Second-Team All-American | 2011–12 | |
| WCHA All-Tournament Team | 2012 |