“Yeah, I’ll stop by the hospital for a little bit and see him and hang out,” Zucker said. We’re a Level 1 trauma center, so it’s something totally unexpected and sometimes very long-term, so helping these patients and these parents any way you can is such a blessing. “When I start seeing kids down here with smiles on their faces, having a good time, then I’ll truly realize how special this place is.”. Try a week on us. When Jason met Tucker Helstrom, a 9-year-old with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, during a team visit to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in late 2015, he felt something deeper. This is kind of a reminder that this is just names on twitter or scrolling across NHL Network, it really affects real people’s lives to go through a change like this. The Zucker family, including Jason’s wife, Carly, and their daughter, Sophia, grieved alongside Tucker’s family. Joe Cole and Carly Zucker take parenthood in their stride as they enjoy a stroll with newborn daughter. #Pens HCMS: Believe Zucker will be available for tonight's game against Tampa. He can become a restricted free agent July 1 if his contract isn’t extended before that; he is tied for the team lead with 14 goals but the Wild have yet to talk to his agent about a new deal. America's most successful employee-owned companies. And that’s something we’ll have to discuss this summer. Luckily for him, the Penguins brought it along for the road trip to the Twin Cities and gave it to him after Saturday’s morning skate. Our goal with article comments is to provide a space for civil, informative and constructive conversations. He added that Carly is doing well and that it was great that his stepdaughter, Sophia, was also able to share the moment with the family. Zucker was the 8-year-old hockey fanatic’s favorite player because their names sounded alike and he loved Zucker’s speed and highlight-reel goals. “It’s a name that both of us loved,” Zucker explained. We’re so fortunate that we have athletes and teams in this town that focus on giving back.”. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! We’re gone 19 days this month, so I’m going to just focus on hockey because the season’s crazy and there’s a lot pressure in a contract year to do well.’ But he’s trying to find time in a really busy month to also give back in a lot of ways. Wild winger Chris Stewart and Penguins winger Ryan Reaves are best friends off the ice. Carly has a daughter Sophia, from a previous relationship. Zucker was struck by Tucker’s engaging laugh and lovable personality. Kyle Rudolph and Jason Zucker have formed a special bond in giving back. Wild re-sign goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen to two-year, $1.45 million deal These Cookies are necessary for the performance of the Services and may not be removed. “I think that to do these things you have to be a person that wants to do them anyway,” Zucker’s wife, Carly, said. “It’s a bit unique and also not one he’s going to hate us for in 20 years.”. “Hopefully he gives me some luck tonight.”, Zucker said the couple had the name Hendrix picked out for a while. That’s showing them how to give back to the community as well.”. “To see it come to life is truly special,” Rudolph said. They’re trying to make an impact, which is really cool.”. Carly Zucker is a broadcaster, so marrying the two ideas made perfect sense so the space can be used 24 hours a day rather than only during 82 Wild games a season. It wasn’t long after that Kyle and Jason were spending summer days together on the golf course. Carly Aplin now Zucker was a student at Gustavus Adolphus College and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the university. “They were just diagnosed and I know it’s been a difficult week for them. “We asked her to choose something to do and that’s what she chose because she’s passionate about animals,” Carly said. Analytical Cookies also help us measure the performance of our advertising campaigns in order to help us improve our advertising campaigns and to optimize our Services' content for those who engage with our advertising. Fans are encouraged to donate in any denomination of “16.”. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem to be defamatory, rude, insulting to others, hateful, off-topic or reckless to the community. This past week, Rudolph cut the ribbon on the 2,500-square-foot Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. @Jason_Zucker16 pic.twitter.com/h4rw9hyBfz, — Carly Zucker (@CarlyAplin) October 27, 2017. We grew up our whole lives playing sports,” Rudolph said. Knowing that it could bring their friend back to his hometown was nice and all, but there was certainly a hope that he would stick around to continue their work together at the hospital. While the pregnancy and delivery was a whirlwind, Zucker said it was better than he could have ever imagined. So we need to use it now.”. Instead, she’ll remain in Minnesota, visiting Pittsburgh as often as possible, a situation that has often been top of mind as Jason’s name swirled through trade rumors the past two years. Rudolph loves the passion Zucker brings toward giving back. Carly and Jason have a boy, Hendrix, and infant daughter, Stella, together, so he's always at risk of being separated from his family during hockey season if he were to be traded." Carly says she would never take Jason's stepdaughter, Sophia, away from her biological father. She went down to the gift shop and bought him a stuffed animal immediately. 42.3k Followers, 1,553 Following, 1,212 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Carly (Aplin) Zucker (@carly.zucker) Which is really, really cool because I guess we kind of found the common ground on trying to use the platforms that the guys have right now to try to do these things while we can.”, A day before the ribbon-cutting, Rudolph, for the second year in a row, took patients at the children’s hospital and their families on a magical trip to the “North Pole” by way of “Rudy’s Red Eye.”. She is the mother of three children, her eldest daughter Sophia is 10. They come from completely different backgrounds and play completely different sports, yet Kyle Rudolph and Jason Zucker have become close friends because of one common bond: their desire to use their high-profile statures for the greater good by bringing cheer to others — especially children — not only during the holidays, but throughout the year. “My brother has been cancer-free since he was 14 months old,” Rudolph said. Though their friendship was short, the lessons the Zuckers learned from Tucker about strength and the power of positivity will stay with them forever. OK. Dane Mizutani is from Hawaii and somehow ended up covering the Wild in the State of Hockey. Jason is expected to be on the ice Tuesday night, making his debut with the Penguins against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Obviously, we’ll do what’s best for our kids and for our family. I’m busy. While Jason was on the road with the Wild in Ottawa on the night of the ribbon-cutting, wife Carly was right there for the event. The locker to the right of Tucker’s features the Timberwolves and Lynx. Read more: Jason Zucker continues to keep special friend’s memory alive. This transition figures to be a tough one off the ice for the all of the Zuckers as they get used to new circumstances for the rest of this season. Here’s a look at the Minnesotans taken in the NHL draft. 82 Vikings jersey suspended. We’re here! After signing with the Wild this offseason, Matt Cullen obviously wasn’t in attendance when the Penguins raised their Stanley Cup banner a few weeks ago. “I can’t stress enough how much of her life she has dedicated to our hockey organization and to making everyone’s hockey experience enjoyable, and I just want her to realize she is not alone in this fight.”. All rights reserved. To get that news and be able to spend a little bit of time with them, you could tell it gave them hope for what’s ahead.”, The Rudolphs had their 1-year-old twin daughters, Andersyn and Finley, with them for the unveiling, both decked out in red dresses and running all over the place. It was really cute.”, Hendrix Scott Zucker We are beyond in love. Wild re-sign winger Jordan Greenway to two-year, $4.2 million deal Besides a basketball and some sneakers is a Karl-Anthony Towns Timberwolves’ jersey and Lindsay Whalen Lynx jersey. “It makes me excited for, as they get older, bringing them back here and showing them really why this space is here.