I've flown with skates before. Always put them in my suitcase and never had a problem. It didn't matter too much when I was at school, but when I went abroad to skate in exhibitions or competitions, then I'd fret a bit about the potential for them being lost. Happily, it never happened.
I'm off to Montreal next year and I think I will be trusting an airline with them in my checked baggage, although having done some research, I may well ask the airline whether I need to do that or whether they'll be allowed in my carry-on case. I tend to travel quite light (touring as a musician taught me that!) so I'd have no trouble packing all I need and my skates in my usual flight case.
If your airline insists you check them, put them in your suitcase but take a wheeled flight case as your carry on bag, then you can use that to transport your skates and gear to the rink. I don't think a Zuca is small enough to go into an overhead locker, so I'd leave that at home.