As other Rangers stars have left, Zuccarello has taken on a more visible role, and that has made him a contender to be the team’s captain when its season opens Thursday. Without a playoff run, he had more time than usual to focus on charity work this summer. Zuccarello has helped raise more than $800,000 for Right to Play over the past five years. “We work with 25 great athletes in Norway, but I have never seen an athlete with such energy and passion around children,” Vika said. “Play has been a big part of Mats’s childhood and life, and I believe he really relates to how we educate children through play in our projects.

Source: New York Times September 28, 2018 21:58 UTC