Report: Zuccarello headed back to the Eastern Conference?

With the opening of the NHL’s free agent period now just days away, there’s plenty of speculation online about who might be signing where and for how much. It’s not exactly a secret that the New York Rangers have been eyeing superstar Artemi Panarin. Ditto for the Florida Panthers and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Matt Duchene has been linked to the Nashville Predators for weeks now, while Joe Pavelski has been spotted visiting with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

But what about those “second tier” free agents like defensemen Jake Gardiner, Tyler Myers and Marc Methot? Or forwards like Gustav Nyquist, Marcus Johansson and Mats Zuccarello? These are still valuable players who are likely to cash in on July 1st, but where will they end up? 

Well… in the case of Zuccarello, Columbus Blue Jackets insider Aaron Portzline believes that they player could be in the team’s sights. 

Check it out:

Hmm… seems a lot of term for a 32 year old… even more a 32 year old with just one 20+ goal season. Zuccarello is a great player, but… buyer beware.