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

[CupofOil]

Twice as many points and almost 2 min more TOI, than Larsson in his rookie season, and this season it's even stupid to compare them so far. Of course, the season has just started, but still...

Yeah, there's that.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Bob and Panarin yes, all others no.

I wasn't listing guys who are better than Zaitsev, I was just listing other guys on par with Zaitsev over the last couple of years. He's in that top tier of legit top-4 D/top-6 F/starting goalies, but there have been a decent amount of those guys in the last couple of years.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Eric Staal certainly has an argument. Not to often you can get a 1C via UFA at 3.5 million dollars a year.

 

[Rebels57]

What I learned from HF Boards (October edition)

Matthews is better than McDavid
Hyman is the best forechecker in the league
Zaitsev is the best free-agent signing the past decade

 

[nbwingsfan]

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.

Definitely not, he's a great player! Just pointing out he's not exactly a "find" just like Panarin isn't when you have more or less every team hoping to sign him.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Zaitsev has been very good for the Leafs. Won't bother getting into him vs Larsson or anything else. He's been one of the strongest D defensively on the team, has great offensive potential and a bomb of a shot.

I do want to know if people have watch Panarin this year? Stat line looks good, but he has not looked very good at all.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Zaitsev has been very good for the Leafs. Won't bother getting into him vs Larsson or anything else. He's been one of the strongest D defensively on the team, has great offensive potential and a bomb of a shot.

I do want to know if people have watch Panarin this year? Stat line looks good, but he has not looked very good at all.

Yeah, agree, he sucks, has brought just 2 victories (vs Rangers and Wild), when he should win every damned game single-handedly.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Yeah, agree, he sucks, has brought just 2 victories (vs Rangers and Wild), when he should win every damned game single-handedly.

I don't see the point in getting offended. Not to derail the thread and only as an example, Marner has 4 in 5 and just got put on the 4th line.

I am seeing the same type of issue there. I caught two games of his, and he had a few good shifts to put up his points, but outside of those, looks disengaged away from the puck, just doesn't look dominant.

 

[Pi]

Zaitsev is a nifty signing by the Leafs. I also like that the Leafs are dipping into European markets to get better. Burke/Nonis would have never even thought of Zaitsev, Borgman, Rosen let alone sign them.

If the Leafs want to be competitive when things get tight with the salary cap in the future, it's important to find guys like Zaitsev and sign them to cap friendly deals.

Borgman looks real solid for the Leafs as well, he's younger so I don't know if he's got top 4 potential but he's a solid bottom pairing D as a rookie so that's encouraging. Rosen needs work in the AHL though.

 

[DANTHEMAN1967]

What I learned from HF Boards (October edition)

Matthews is better than McDavid
Hyman is the best forechecker in the league
Zaitsev is the best free-agent signing the past decade

Good you're learning.

 

[Babooch]

When Zaitsev was a young child he picked out maple leaf socks from the Eaton's catalog and watched at the window every day until that iconic blue and red delivery van came down the hill and delivered the package. Ever since he's wanted to be a Leaf.

Either that or Toronto offered the most cash.

 

[Pi]

When Zaitsev was a young child he picked out maple leaf socks from the Eaton's catalog and watched at the window every day until that iconic blue and red delivery van came down the hill and delivered the package. Ever since he's wanted to be a Leaf.

Either that or Toronto offered the most cash.

Yes, Toronto offered the most cash to a player that cannot get a penny more than his ELC. Brilliant.

I think another investigation needs to be opened against the Leafs. They gave Zaitsev money under the table.

 

[leafsfan1234]

Yes, Toronto offered the most cash to a player that cannot get a penny more than his ELC. Brilliant.

I think another investigation needs to be opened against the Leafs. They gave Zaitsev money under the table.

1M per year in Tim Horton's gift cards?

 

[NarcoPolo]

Off the top of my head, Shattenkirk is better. Probably a couple more so to answer the OP, no.

 

[Kshahdoo]

When Zaitsev was a young child he picked out maple leaf socks from the Eaton's catalog and watched at the window every day until that iconic blue and red delivery van came down the hill and delivered the package. Ever since he's wanted to be a Leaf.

Either that or Toronto offered the most cash.

As people already explained, Zaitsev's signing was a long story, that involved Yushkevich, Roberts and Zaitsev's coming to Toronto every summer to get better prepared for the KHL seasons.

 

[X66]

Leafs European/Russian focused scouts have actually been doing a great job lately.

Zaitsev - Top 4 NHL RH Dman
Soshnkiov - NHL player that if it wasn't for the numbers game would be a Leaf
Rosen - NHL capable player, only 23 years old
Borgman - Looks like a regular under Babcock, only 22 years old.
Aaltonen - A player that has a big fan in Babcock, could be the leafs 4th line center as early as next year.

 

[InAllOurLeafsCommand]

What I learned from HF Boards (October edition)

Matthews is better than McDavid
Hyman is the best forechecker in the league
Zaitsev is the best free-agent signing the past decade

No lies detected.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Zaitsev had a nice rookie season and is off to a great start through 5 games, but he was also a -22 on a playoff team last year. In small sample sizes I'm not a huge fan of +/-, but if the trend continues it has to be a bit worrisome.

Regardless, his offensive skills make him a very valuable find. If they could find themselves a top pairing shutdown LD in the mold of a Jaccob Slavin they'd be golden.

 

[jetsjetsjets]

I would say he has been one of the most immediately effective FA signings of the last few years for sure.

 

[Menzinger]

Leafs have been doing very well with Ruropean free agents

 

[ChiefWiggum]

1M per year in Tim Horton's gift cards?

Or Canadian Tire money

 

[ChiefWiggum]

Leafs have been doing very well with Ruropean free agents

Yes Scooby

 

[stepdad gaary]

probably the greatest free agent signing of all time.

 

[Silver Tuna]

Yes Scooby

Laughed pretty freaking hard at that. good job lolol

 

[Rebels57]

Value wise one could argue Zaytsev over Panarin. Good D-men are a rare commodity. As it was brought up in the thread Oilers had to give up a former 1OA established consistent top line scorer to get Lander. Signing one for free beats that by a country mile.

One could certainly argue that. One would certainly be wrong though.