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

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Arizonan God

Arizonan God

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Jan 30, 2010
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SchmaltzLiquor8 said:
Considering there was a shot at Edmonton within like the first 5 posts its pretty evident there are a few Leaf fans basically fishing for compliments about their players in order to feel giddy inside. If you're confident Zaitsev is one of the best euro FA signings then you shouldnt have to ask but here we are. Cant wait to see a thread asking if Toronto has the best 3rd pairing in Borgman and Rosen since we both know it will probably be a thread on the mainboard at some point this season.
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I doubt Borgman or Rosen will be half as good as Zaitsev is.
 
Man Bear Pig

Man Bear Pig

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SchmaltzLiquor8 said:
Considering there was a shot at Edmonton within like the first 5 posts its pretty evident there are a few Leaf fans basically fishing for compliments about their players in order to feel giddy inside. If you're confident Zaitsev is one of the best euro FA signings then you shouldnt have to ask but here we are. Cant wait to see a thread asking if Toronto has the best 3rd pairing in Borgman and Rosen since we both know it will probably be a thread on the mainboard at some point this season.
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Insecurity confirmed.
 
TheBeastCoast

TheBeastCoast

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Mar 23, 2011
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SchmaltzLiquor8 said:
Considering there was a shot at Edmonton within like the first 5 posts its pretty evident there are a few Leaf fans basically fishing for compliments about their players in order to feel giddy inside. If you're confident Zaitsev is one of the best euro FA signings then you shouldnt have to ask but here we are. Cant wait to see a thread asking if Toronto has the best 3rd pairing in Borgman and Rosen since we both know it will probably be a thread on the mainboard at some point this season.
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I am sure if you say it a third time it will come true champ.
 
HamiltonNHL

HamiltonNHL

Parity era hockey is just puck luck + draft luck
Jan 4, 2012
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MJ65 said:
Zaitsev had the choices but he preferred to play in Toronto and that's the bottom line
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Tripod said:
Umm..no....go look back, Philly was interested in him years ago. Lots of Flyers fans knew who he was for years.
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Wonder why they didn't pull the trigger ?
Atas2000 said:
Zaitsev is from the same WJC team. Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Panarin, Zaitsev, Orlov were the top guys. It is beyond me how Panarin and Zaitsev went undrafted.
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MaxV said:
I was surprised that Zaitsev went undrafted for multiple years. He was a known prospect and was even thought to be a possible 2nd rounder.

He also got a shot with NHL team before, I believe he was in Rangers camp.
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Anyone know details how Zaitsev became a Leaf ?
Were the Leafs just lucky and Zaitsev picked them ?
 
Tripod

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Aug 12, 2008
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HamiltonNHL said:
Wonder why they didn't pull the trigger ?




Anyone know details how Zaitsev became a Leaf ?
Were the Leafs just lucky and Zaitsev picked them ?
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They Flyers tried to bring him over when Holmgren was still the GM. But he wanted to stay in Russia to work on his game more.

http://www.flyersnation.net/2015/05/14/report-flyers-interested-in-nikita-zaitsev/
The article says Zaitsev could have left for the NHL over two years ago when he was 20, but despite the lone interest of the Flyers, Nikita opted to sign with CSKA Moscow and stay in the KHL.

This article is from 2015...saying that 2 years ago FROM THAT TIME, the Flyers wanted him...so 2013. That is why earlier I mentioned it when a few people seemed to think the Leafs discovered someone that was unknown.

And from a different article:

The Flyers have had an interest in Zaitsev since 2013. In an old article from Bill Meltzer, the Flyers interest in the defenseman is more thoroughly looked at:
As the article states, the Flyers were perhaps the first NHL team to take serious notice — although I suspect that part of his decision a few years ago to stay in Russia may have been a disinterest in potentially having to work his way up from the Phantoms to get an NHL roster spot.​
And there’s even more evidence of the Flyers interest going back to 2010.
“My favorite interviews were the ones with Philadelphia and Chicago,” Zaytsev said pertaining to his draft combine meetings,” because these teams were interested in me a lot”

http://cornerpubsports.com/2015/11/flyers-renewed-interest-in-nikita-zaitsev/

In the end, he chose the Leafs. Who really knows why. Maybe it was icetime. Maybe it was a lack of competition. Maybe just a good sell job by Shanny and Lou. He chose where he felt he could play lots right away and fit in, and he has.

FWIW, a great Flyers poster Appleyard said years ago that he could step into the NHL in a top 4 role. He was right.
 
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Tripod

Tripod

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Nizdizzle said:
It was widely reported in the year leading up to him signing here that Toronto went really out of their way to impress Zaitsev and rolled out all the stops when he came to visit the city.
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Yeah at that point(summer 2015), I think it was clear he made the decision to join the Leafs. It was just a matter of if it would be that year or the following one.

My post was just to show that Zaitsev was not "discovered" and signed by the Leafs, not that it matters. Just laying out some facts. And to get him for free, great pickup.
 
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HoBOonFiRE

HoBOonFiRE

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Nov 8, 2009
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The Panarin signing was probably the best but Zaitsev looks really really good this year. I know people are worried about his contract but I think if he keeps it up it's going to look like a steal at that price.
 
MJ65

MJ65

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Jul 12, 2009
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I really do not like getting in to any debate whether he is one of the best signing but he is a very part of this squad and we are very happy with his play and production - A welcome addition to a talented / skilled team
 
96

96

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How come now people are valuing a top six winger (Radulov) more than a top four dman (Z)? Could it possibly have something to do with his blue and white jersey? Because all we've been hearing about is how D is worth wayyyyy more than wingers, especially if its a RHD... Typical.
 

Atas2000

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Jan 18, 2011
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Heart Eater said:
How come now people are valuing a top six winger (Radulov) more than a top four dman (Z)? Could it possibly have something to do with his blue and white jersey? Because all we've been hearing about is how D is worth wayyyyy more than wingers, especially if its a RHD... Typical.
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Well, your "problem" starts with calling Radulov a top 6 winger. He is a top line winger on any team.

And yes D-men have more value now.It is the market. It has nothing to do with the skills and traits of a player.
 
zeke

zeke

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That's not actually a problem, since Zaitsev is a top pair defenseman.
 
Pi

Pi

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Nov 16, 2010
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Zaitsev is awesome. Free ~top pair RHD signed for 7 years. What is not to like?

The reason why we got him? Brendan Shanahan and Lou actually went to Russia to talk to him. So many teams were interested in him but old school Lou knows how to impress people.
 
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