Is Nikita Zaitsev one of the top free agent signings of the last few years?

[The Podium]

Someone has to be first, doesn't change that more or less every single team wanted to sign him. He signed with a team that had a very weak D that could give him playing time. Not hard to understand.

Well the first to recognize talent is still the team to 'find him'. And yes opportunity had something to do with it but nearly the entire league is struggling to find a top 4 RHD right now. He could have stepped into the NHL last season as a top 4 on probably 2/3rds of the teams in the entire league.

 

[Field of Dreams]

Great find just like Panarin.

Cringing at the tacky shots at Edmonton, not a good look guys.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Excellent find. Some teams trade #1 overall picks for a top-pairing/top4 rhd.

Didn't you use this exact same line in another thread?

Zaitsev's been a great free agent signing. But when fans bring the above type of snark into the discussion for no reason other than to instigate, that's when threads get derailed.

 

[MJ65]

I am not sure how you look like at it, but he has played very well for us and has fill the void adequately, now he is a very useful part of this roster on a very cap friendly contract

I was reading a post from a Flyers fan that he was not unearthed by our organisation , to answer that question I just want to point out that with media and specially electronic the world is now rather smaller then I used to be. Every organization hire scouts to hunt the talent whether they are playing in Europe, Russia, Siberia or tim bak to - so how many teams have discovered some hidden talent that was unknown to the rest of the world whether it was Zaitsev,- Rudulov, or Komorov or some college signing like Schultz, Bozak or Vesey. My point is any FA signed by any team are known to other organizations as well but you sign them as per your need, depth and budget and finally usually players decide where they are going to play (in most instances)

Zaitsev had the choices but he preferred to play in Toronto and that's the bottom line

We in the past were not very attractive for majority of the big FA (because we were awayful) but things have changed now and we should be given credit for a turn around instead of undue criticism for nothing

Having said that I believe Zaitsev is proving to be a bargain signing for us with relatively low cap hit (I usually do not get in to "who is the best"?)

Note: Just by the way we have also signed 2 signed 2 swedes (they were relatively unknown among hockey fans) but how good they are going to be that's up for discussion but they can at least handle the bottom pairing role with some polishing and NA environment

 

[Hunter368]

Someone has to be first, doesn't change that more or less every single team wanted to sign him. He signed with a team that had a very weak D that could give him playing time. Not hard to understand.

This is true, players who r free to sign any where often look for the team who is weakest in their position and this gives them the best chance to be successful and earn more money. He was a known quality in the sense multi teams were after him, he choose the team who he thought he had the most chance to be successful on b/c the Leafs were so weak on his side. Of course by saying this doesn't mean he isn't a top 4 on other teams or lessen his value as a signing.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Someone has to be first, doesn't change that more or less every single team wanted to sign him. He signed with a team that had a very weak D that could give him playing time. Not hard to understand.

As a Leafs hater, you'll also hate to learn that Dmitri Yushkevich coached Zaitsev in Russia, introduced him to Gary Roberts in Toronto, told him that when Toronto is winning there is no better place to play (Yushkevich knows), and Yushkevich also brought Zaitsev to the attention of the Leafs. And that, my friend, is the reason he chose Toronto.

("But still!! Playing tiiiimmmmeee!!!)

 

[MJ65]

As a Leafs hater, you'll also hate to learn that Dmitri Yushkevich coached Zaitsev in Russia, introduced him to Gary Roberts in Toronto, told him that when Toronto is winning there is no better place to play (Yushkevich knows), and Yushkevich also brought Zaitsev to the attention of the Leafs. And that, my friend, is the reason he chose Toronto.

("But still!! Playing tiiiimmmmeee!!!)

So true - people forget what Oilers had to give up in order to acquire Larson, these type of "D" do not grow on trees. Usually teams invest a lot of time and resources and wait patiently for them to mature and even after making the NHL they usually take more time to be reliable and dependable in this league

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

As a Leafs hater, you'll also hate to learn that Dmitri Yushkevich coached Zaitsev in Russia, introduced him to Gary Roberts in Toronto, told him that when Toronto is winning there is no better place to play (Yushkevich knows), and Yushkevich also brought Zaitsev to the attention of the Leafs. And that, my friend, is the reason he chose Toronto.

("But still!! Playing tiiiimmmmeee!!!)

Wow did not know about Yushkevich's involvement with Zaitsev. absolutely loved Yushkevich! Cool tid bit.

 

[nickdawg95]

That's the thing. Around the same time the Oilers traded Hall for Larsson, the Leafs got a guy just as good if not better for free. After that trade all the talk was will Marner or Nylander be traded for a top 4 D? Nope. The Leafs got one for nothing.
Zaitsev has been so solid this year.

Zaitsev is not better than Larrson

 

[Iapyi]

Someone has to be first, doesn't change that more or less every single team wanted to sign him. He signed with a team that had a very weak D that could give him playing time. Not hard to understand.

hi, i'm just curious how you know this? maybe he was a life long maple leaf fan? maybe they gave him the best offer? maybe the fact the male leafs were the first team to approach him had a large bearing on his decision?

if it's not hard to understand i am sure you will have no problem telling everyone how you 'know' what you 'know'.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Wow did not know about Yushkevich's involvement with Zaitsev. absolutely loved Yushkevich! Cool tid bit.

We all loved and miss Yushkevich. I wish we had someone like him on our blueline today.

 

[MJ65]

Zaitsev is not better than Larrson

We have Zaitsev and I am pretty happy with that (and that's all I care about). I am not going to put down Larson to make a case (as he is equally important to the Oilers fan)

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Maybe it's because every second thread is about the Leafs and every other thread is somehow turned into a Leafs discussion? It is like TSN is running HF!

Confirmation bias.

 

[IPS]

Zaitsev is not better than Larrson

Yes, yes he is. Larsson is a good #3 but Zaitsev is a legit top-pairing guy.

 

[MJ65]

Maybe it's because every second thread is about the Leafs and every other thread is somehow turned into a Leafs discussion? It is like TSN is running HF!

Every one is free to start their own threads. People can initiate threads for their own teams and no one is forcing any one to participate in these discussions. They can simply ignore these threads

If it's like TSN then people can start their own CBS or NBC

 

[jetsforever]

Panarin's definitely the best of the past couple years, but Zaitsev is definitely solid

 

[MJ65]

This is true, players who r free to sign any where often look for the team who is weakest in their position and this gives them the best chance to be successful and earn more money. He was a known quality in the sense multi teams were after him, he choose the team who he thought he had the most chance to be successful on b/c the Leafs were so weak on his side. Of course by saying this doesn't mean he isn't a top 4 on other teams or lessen his value as a signing.

With my experience I believe good FA usually sign either with contenders or simply $$$

 

[Tobias Kahun]

We have Zaitsev and I am pretty happy with that (and that's all I care about). I am not going to put down Larson to make a case (as he is equally important to the Oilers fan)

Are you okay? You must have a fever.

It's nice to see some logical thing's posted here.

 

[MJ65]

Are you okay? You must have a fever.

It's nice to see some logical thing's posted here.

With due respect and I am sorry but what logic are you talking about, the poster's response was without any logic. It was simply a statement that "Zaitsev is not better then Larson"

Zaittsev has played only one season in NHL / NA adjusting to the new system and the environment and still had a pretty reasonable season. Larson is a pretty decent player and playing very important minutes for the Oilers and so is Zaitsev

As far as I am concerned as a Leafs fan I am happy with Zaitsev, so what is wrong with that and what should I respond to a poster who has no explanation for his response - what data is he using for comparison

Larson has played over 350 plus games in NHL and it was Zaitsev's 1st year in NHL

 

[Apotheosis]

I really like Zaitsev's tools. Breaks out the puck well, he's mobile and has a great shot.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

With due respect and I am sorry but what logic are you talking about, the poster's response was without any logic. It was simply a statement that "Zaitsev is not better then Larson"

Zaittsev has played only one season in NA adjusting to the new system and the environment and still had a pretty reasonable season. Larson is a pretty decent player and playing very important minutes for the Oilers and so is Zaitsev

As far as I am concerned as a Leafs fan I am happy with Zaitsev, so what is wrong with that and what should I respond to a poster who has no explanation for his response - what data is he using for comparison

Larson has played over 350 plus games in NHL and it was Zaitsev's 1st year in NHL

I think he's shocked that there is a Leafs fan that feels like maybe there's a bit too much stuff on the main board about the Leafs.

I'm not shocked because I feel that way too and I'm a massive Leafs fan and total homer. We don't need to have a main board discussion about every giddy little thing we feel, we have our own boards.

But whatever, I have no control over it, I'd just prefer the Leafs representation be a bit more humble or muted on here.

If you just let the Leafs do what you believe they will do, it would be so much more satisfying to watch as other fans say complimentary things about the Leafs without being prompted. That's why you get so many posters going out of their way to do the opposite.

Zaitsev is really a nice pickup for sure, we seem very fortunate at this point but let's not jinx it among so many other things eh?

Just my opinion.

 

[Arizonan God]

Maybe not the best, but I’ll always take a top 4 d-man for no assets

 

[Kshahdoo]

Great signing, definitely not the best. Panarin clearly beats him, that's just 1 off the top of my head. The Penguins also got Sheary as an undrafted prospect, he's a top-6 winger now. There's a bunch of top end goalies that can fall in this category, Martin Jones and Cam Talbot were undrafted free agent signings in I think 2013 and Bobrovsky was in 2010. DeKeyser was 2012, Johnson was 2012, Krug was in 2011 and Marchessault was in 2014. He's in that high tier of undrafted free agent signings, but I don't think he's the best one.

2009-2013 yielded a lot of top end undrafted players. All of Zuccarello, Tanev, Krug, Johnson, DeKeyser, Bozak, Bobrovsky, Jones and Talbot ended up very good players from those couple of years.

Bob and Panarin yes, all others no.

 

[MJ65]

I think he's shocked that there is a Leafs fan that feels like maybe there's a bit too much stuff on the main board about the Leafs.

I'm not shocked because I feel that way too and I'm a massive Leafs fan and total homer. We don't need to have a main board discussion about every giddy little thing we feel, we have our own boards.

But whatever, I have no control over it, I'd just prefer the Leafs representation be a bit more humble or muted on here.

If you just let the Leafs do what you believe they will do, it would be so much more satisfying to watch as other fans say complimentary things about the Leafs without being prompted. That's why you get so many posters going out of their way to do the opposite.

Zaitsev is really a nice pickup for sure, we seem very fortunate at this point but let's not jinx it among so many other things eh?

Just my opinion.

Probably but every one have the right to express their opinions - even if you have a difference of opinion you still have to be polite instead of asking some one if you have a fever

All I said was "We have Zaitsev and I am pretty happy about it (and that's all I care about) - Larson is equally important to Oilers fan and I am not going to put Larson down

I am not the one getting in to any comparisons, because there is no point discussing - I have never seen any one getting convinced because every have their own opinion and logic (whether it's right or wrong) - but its all good as people say things that they don't intent to

 

[Kshahdoo]

Guess neither of you realize the Leafs courted him a year prior to his free agency and the main reason he ultimately chose the Leafs was because they were the first to show interest.

Philadelphia wanted him even before. Him + Provorov could be epic for the team and Russian NT...