"There is no out-clause in Mats Zuccarello's contract that would require the Rangers to allow the 24-year-old winger to leave for Europe if he is still a member of the AHL Whale by a certain date, the Norwegian's representatives and general manager Glen Sather told The Post late last week.

And though Craig Oster, one of the winger's agents at Newport Sports, told The Post the subject is likely to be raised with management within the next few weeks if Zuccarello remains in Hartford under his $67,500 AHL contract, Sather doesn't seem to have much interest in obliging.

"Why would we agree to anything like that?" is how Sather phrased it in an email response to the Post's inquiry whether the club would set the Hobbit free. "There's no such agreement."

Zuccarello started this season with the Rangers before being assigned to the Whale after three games, in which he averaged 8:25 of ice time while operating on the club's fourth line and second power-play unit.

Coach John Tortorella stated his concerns about the winger's ability to check and master the game without the puck on the NHL's smaller ice surface, and dropped Zuccarello from the power play during the Oct. 15 match on the Island. Zuccarello's presence then became superfluous on a club that uses its fourth line sparingly."