Mats Zuccarello hoping to 'create a spark' for Rangers

MONTREAL

If anything, Mats Zuccarello, the smallest Ranger, has a big personality.

In the crowded visitors' locker room Saturday morning after the Rangers practiced at Bell Centre, the local media flocked to the newest Blueshirt like Canada geese to a golf course.

And after a few questions, he gave them a quote they could fly with: "There are so many good players here that can fill every role, so I just have to try and play my game and work hard. It's not like we are winning the Stanley Cup because I'm coming back. I'm not Gretzky! But I will try and create a spark."

No one expects the 25-year-old Norwegian, who played 53 games with the Rangers over two years and 51 in the KHL this season, to be the rebirth of No. 99. Coach John Tortorella and his teammates can only hope that the Rangers -- in the precarious position of being on the playoff bubble with 14 games left in the season -- can provide some jump to a club that is dead last in scoring in the Eastern Conference.

"We'll give him some direction as far as our breakout, but we're looking for instinctive. Especially on the power play," Tortorella said. "I think he sees the ice. He's a creative player. That's what we need not only there but five-on- five offensively, too."

The Rangers' leading scorer, Rick Nash, who was part of Team Canada, said: "I remember playing against him in the Olympics. He was one of the guys that we keyed on. I didn't see much in the NHL. He can bring energy and kind of a complete game."

Since the end of the KHL season, Zuccarello has been "skating every day with the national team back home, but I haven't played a game in a while. That's a little different. It's not going to take a long time to get into it. I just have to stick with the system and do what I'm told. I know almost everyone around here. I have a great relationship with most of the guys. I just have a good feeling coming in here."

Zuccarello's contract expires at the end of this season, after which he again will be a restricted free agent. He hasn't thought beyond that.

"All I can do is do my job. I don't worry about that,'' he said. "I just have to worry about getting to the playoffs and playing every game. I would love to play better [than the last time here], but it's a good league."

Perhaps things won't change. But even after Saturday night, Zuccarello is the last Ranger to score (on Jan. 15, 2011) against Canadiens goalie Carey Price, who after Saturday night's 3-0 victory has shut out the Blueshirts in his last four appearances at Bell Centre.