Speculation: Could Zaitsev be pushed out sooner than we think?

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

So I got to thinking last year Zaitsev got a 7 year deal worth 4.2 million per year and at the time we thought he was going to be a long term piece, now I am not sure that he is.

Since he signed that contract the Leafs have built up quite the stable of young D men lets take a look.

Liljergen who looks really good, he's young but I don't think it's a matter of if, but when he makes it.

Andreas Borgman who has looked good all year and he's only 22 so he's only going to grow.

Travis Dermott- it is a limited role but so far he does look like he has top 4 upside although granted it is only 5 games but he does look like he COULD be top 4

Calle Rosen another guy maybe pushing for a job next year.

That is 4 guys that look like they have a future as NHL D men I can't help but wonder if Zaitsev might be pushed out at some point in the not too distant future

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[Minus Mitch]

Good grief. Leaf fans will always pick the wrong players. Zaitsev plays huge minutes. And deservedly so. You got a kid in Liljergen who has as many brain cramps as Gardiner, Borgman who is good 6-7 guy and Dermott who may or may not be anything but overhyped by Leaf fans.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

Jake Gardiner would be first to go, given his impending free agency status in 2019-20.

Ron Hainsey is 36 and is in the same boat.

Spots will open up organically on this team IMO.

 

[thewave]

So I got to thinking last year Zaitsev got a 7 year deal worth 4.2 million per year and at the time we thought he was going to be a long term piece, now I am not sure that he is.

Since he signed that contract the Leafs have built up quite the stable of young D men lets take a look.

Liljergen who looks really good, he's young but I don't think it's a matter of if, but when he makes it.

Andreas Borgman who has looked good all year and he's only 22 so he's only going to grow.

Travis Dermott- it is a limited role but so far he does look like he has top 4 upside although granted it is only 5 games but he does look like he COULD be top 4

Calle Rosen another guy maybe pushing for a job next year.

That is 4 guys that look like they have a future as NHL D men I can't help but wonder if Zaitsev might be pushed out at some point in the not too distant future

Doubt it but if it does happen that's not a big deal. If you want to print money in the NHL, draft and develop D. Been saying for years - that it almost pays to allocate 2nd 3rd rounders as near exclusive D picks.

A low end T4D can net you a guy like Hall and are always in demand. Should be our draft focus.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

A low end T4D can net you a guy like Hall and are always in demand. Should be our draft focus.

That was the exception - not the rule.

And Adam Larsson isn't a low-end top 4D.

 

[SprDaVE]

Nope. He's here to stay for a while.

That 7 year contract is looking really bad though. Not a good start to that extension.

 

[Advanced stats]

No he's here for a while, and thank goodness.
Look how much better we are with him in the lineup.

 

[Judas Tavares]

Rielly-X/Liljegren
Dermott-X/Liljegren
Borgman-Zaitsev

Is probably the plan going forward.

 

[Barilko14]

Good grief. Leaf fans will always pick the wrong players. Zaitsev plays huge minutes. And deservedly so. You got a kid in Liljergen who has as many brain cramps as Gardiner, Borgman who is good 6-7 guy and Dermott who may or may not be anything but overhyped by Leaf fans.

Overhyped by Leaf fans??

His name was barely mentioned on here 2 months ago.

He's got legit top 4 upside, most posters say he's got top 4 upside, I don't see too many mentioning that he'll be a perennial Norris candidate.

If you want to see want over yping looks like, try to track down some old Stralman threads.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Nope. He's here to stay for a while.

That 7 year contract is looking really bad though. Not a good start to that extension.

I mean I like him, I do think he is a top 4 guy but I look at the stable of D men they are building and I am starting to think if they wanted to at some point if they wanted to move him they could.

Borgman Lilgerjen and Dermott are off to good starts, they need to prove more clearly but if they keep doing what they are doing Dermott and Borgman will solidify their spots and Liljergen will start pushing for a job

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Until there are 6 better Dman than him, I don't understand the logic on how he would pushed out.
And your lineup.....Gardiner is not going to be resigned...too erratic and some team will pay him more. Hainsey at age 36 is not a long term solution, and Rosen is not an NHLer.
So in 2019/20 you would think the lineup would be Reilly, Borgman, Dermot, Zaitsev and if NHL ready Liljegren, so it's not like the Leafs are in a position to say they have excess Dman.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Until there are 6 better Dman than him, I don't understand the logic on how he would pushed out.
And your lineup.....Gardiner is not going to be resigned...too erratic and some team will pay him more. Hainsey at age 36 is not a long term solution, and Rosen is not an NHLer.
So in 2019/20 you would think the lineup would be Reilly, Borgman, Dermot, Zaitsev and if NHL ready Liljegren, so it's not like the Leafs are in a position to say they have excess Dman.

I think it is still to early to assume that Gardiner will be gone unless he goes in a blockbuster deal that upgrades the Leafs blue line

 

[rent free]

IM fine with zaitsev if he is the 3rd pairing rhd in the future. However that probably won't happen.

 

[Minus Mitch]

Overhyped by Leaf fans??

His name was barely mentioned on here 2 months ago.

He's got legit top 4 upside, most posters say he's got top 4 upside, I don't see too many mentioning that he'll be a perennial Norris candidate.

If you want to see want over yping looks like, try to track down some old Stralman threads.

Stuart Percy had a great first call up with the Leafs and was a shoe in by most fans. The Leafs went out and got Borgman and Rosen because the depth was bad. There will be more free agent additions next season as well.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Next training camp:

Rielly Zaitsev
Gardiner Hainsey
Borgman Carrick
Dermott Liljegren
Ozhiganov

Lily will be up and down for the injuries. Dermott and Borgman will be switched up from time to time, Carrick will rotate as well. OZ will need to surprise as well. Should be fun...

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

I think it is still to early to assume that Gardiner will be gone unless he goes in a blockbuster deal that upgrades the Leafs blue line

I just think the Leafs can find more value than resigning Gardiner long term. And I don't see how Gardiner who will a UFA in 1.5m years could return anyone than upgrades the Leafs defence long term.

I don't know why Leafs haters degrade Dermot so much. Many Leafs fan can go to the Marlie home games and/or watch the Marlies on LeafTV. So I think many Leaf fans can be objective in their AHL player evaluations. Most other NHL fans never see a AHL games.

Stuart Percy: I used to attend his games at the Hershey centre. What Burke and his drinking buddies ever saw in Percy that made him a round one pick I don't know. Any one that saw Percy and Biggs play as junior and later as Marlies, certainly questioned if they ever would be NHLers.

 

[Legion34]

Don’t forget the expansion draft. We could lose one there in 20-21

 

[Mugzy97]

We aren't signing Zaits for 7 years and then getting rid of him. That just doesn't happen.

 

[zeke]

Zaitsev can't come back soon enough.

 

[thewave]

We aren't signing Zaits for 7 years and then getting rid of him. That just doesn't happen.

It all depends what the next batch of kids are like. I mean, if you have players that are simply amazing then what do you think is going to happen?

 

[saltming]

Stuart Percy had a great first call up with the Leafs and was a shoe in by most fans. The Leafs went out and got Borgman and Rosen because the depth was bad. There will be more free agent additions next season as well.

You're comparing a bicycle with a flat tire (Percy) to a Ferrari (Dermott)

 

[Mugzy97]

It all depends what the next batch of kids are like. I mean, if you have players that are simply amazing then what do you think is going to happen?

Zaitsev is still a kid himself and he is really good. It would take a lot for him to be pushed out. If he can't make a team's top 6 then that team is in really good shape. We are nowhere near pushing Zaitsev out of our lineup and won't be for years to come.

 

[ULF_55]

Zaitsev can't come back soon enough.

It looks like they have a huge hole there right now. Too many minutes in too high a position for their RHD.

..........

Having your foot broke by a shot isn't a theme of injury prone, however looks like Liljegren is injured again on the Marlies.
Leafs aren't a team with an abundance of NHL defenders you want playing in your top 4 yet.

 

[ACC1224]

You're comparing a bicycle with a flat tire (Percy) to a Ferrari (Dermott)

Correct, very few thought much of Percy.

 

[Trapper]

As far as this organization goes for RHD:

Zaitsev

Carrick might be pushed out long before but not Zaitsev.
Lily we are hoping but that could be a couple of years away yet.
Then a bunch of hopefuls.

So not very likely.