SUNRISE, FLA. – Ever since winger Jason Zucker broke into the NHL with the Wild almost seven years ago, his production has bobbed up and down like a seesaw.
He is currently in the midst of one of his upswings, recording his second career hat trick in Thursday's 3-0 victory at Tampa Bay to boast six goals in his previous six games and reach the 20-goal mark for the fourth time in his career.
It also signaled just the 23rd time in NHL history that a player scored all his team's goals (at least three) in a shutout victory. Zucker also accomplished the feat last season for the Wild when he converted his first career hat trick Nov. 9, 2017, vs. Montreal.
And while Zucker hasn't been able to shake the streaky label, he is confident he can score consistently enough to eclipse the career-high 33 he posted last season.
"I think I have more," he said. "I do, and that's why the beginning of this year was so disappointing for me because I feel like I can score 40 in this league. I feel like I can put up 30 every year."
Before his six-goal outbreak, Zucker was mired in a 10-game drought. He also had two seven-game slides earlier this season and had just 10 goals through his first 41 appearances.
Perspective helped him weather that adversity — "You've just got to realize it's all a game. It's hockey," he said — and the 27-year-old's remained steadfast in his belief he can be a regular goal scorer in the NHL.
"It's about maintaining that and getting to that point and not being satisfied with it and just keep going," Zucker said.