Hockey Tough: Mats Zuccarello Suffered A Ruptured Testicle (Nut) After Blocking A Shot
Bruce Kluckhohn. Getty Images.Mats Zuccarello has always been one of the most likable guys in the league to me. He's a little fella who seems like he has a great personality, and he's consistently going to give you 50-60 points. Nothing that completely blows your doors away, but also consistently a really solid NHL player. Out of everybody in the National Hockey League who I would want to see have their balls explode, Mats Zuccarello would be so far down the bottom of that list.
Unfortunately, however, it's not up to me.
The Minnesota Wild signed Brock Faber to an 8-year, $68 million contract extension over the summer. I'm sure that right now Mats Zuccarello wishes that Faber would have gotten offer sheeted by literally any other team in the league. Because that is a brutal case of friendly fire. A heat seeking missile directly to the nut sack.
Even with the cup on, it seems like that shot did enough damage to the 'ol ball bag to require a surgeon.
It takes balls to play hockey. Sometimes a little more literally than figuratively. But you can bet your left nut that Mats Zuccarello is going to be right back on the ice with the Wild the moment his sack heals up. Maybe reinforce the Cup a little bit, and maybe let somebody else set a screen in front of the net whenever Faber is loading up to let one loose from the point. Here's to a speedy recovery for the Swiss Army Knife.