Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Nikita Zaitsev to a 1 year ELC

[AppsSyl]

Maple Leafs’ Nikita Zaitsev has the right stuff: Feschuk

The talented Russian rookie defenceman has leaned on two former Leafs for advice and help in making it to the NHL: Gary Roberts and Dmitri Yushkevich.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leaf...kita-zaitsev-has-the-right-stuff-feschuk.html

Good article, thanks for linking it.

 

[FlareKnight]

It is a pretty impressive story. Does make you hope for the best for Zaitsev this season.

Credit to him. Actually saving the entirety of his salary for that year in order to fly to NA and train with Roberts. Clearly someone who is determined to make a career for himself and is willing to do what it takes.

Just putting in the effort. Even when things didn't go smoothly he kept with it.

Good article.

 

[Panic at the Back]

Thanks for the link. Very interesting, love the back story. Kid has a load of potential, waiting to be unleashed.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Uhh.. no. Have you looked at the defensive metrics? Nearly identical.
That's ok you're an opinion based poster not fact based.

Also this is zaitsev discussion.

Edit: i will say i 100% believe trouba will be legit. Probably a top pair guy.

Looking at their defensive metrics, Trouba's better defensively for sure. Mark Stuart drags him down a LOT more than Hunwick does. He makes everyone's defensive play better when paired with.

Imo Zaistev is really good defensively and possession-wise (even though there's no stats right now for him).

I feel like a Rielly-Zaistev pair would be great but we still have to see if Zaistev can handle top-pairing every night.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Don't know why anyone would have any doubt about Zaitsev being capable as an NHL player.

Panarin joined Hawks as a 22 year old and is looking like an all star, Radulov gets 5.75m from the Canadians, Zaitsev is a 24 year old KHL all star.

There was an article in the Toronto Star this weekend decision to come to North America. He trained with this summer with Gary Robarts.....so I guess he's a guy that want to work.

Why Toronto? Just my thoughts why. Well they have cap space next year if he wants to sign a long term contract. If by chance he needed some time in the AHL, well his family wouldn't have to leave Toronto if he played with the Marlies. Great opportunity to be the top RHD on a team immediately, though I do have faith that Carrick is going to be OK.

Hyman and Soshnikov were signed as "older players....22 and 23 years. So sometimes there may be value in signing...physcially strong men.

The bit I have seem Zaitsev in the World Cup and pre season, he looks like a solid NHLer

 

[Battle Lin]

watching him in the world cup and in his 1st game, he really doesnt do anything wrong, like never or very rarely...like he doesnt do crazy amazing things either but hes just rock solid all the time...he also skates well and has a great shot

 

[AppsSyl]

He is so solid at both ends of the ice. By the end of the season he is going to logging a lot of minutes for us. He is so controlled out there and makes good decisions. I think we've really lucked out with his signing.

 

[LeafFever]

That's what I thought as well. solid every shift. no mistakes. No superstar, but can be a really great minutes muncher and top 4 guy at the least.

 

[AppsSyl]

He and Rielly could be pretty special together. With his poise and solid decision making, you could allow Rielly to unleash his offensive creativity knowing he has a proper partner that he can count on to back him up.

 

[BertCorbeau]

His work ethic and journeyman like attitude to get to this point is great and he sets a good example for the kids. I see him as a good presence for a younger guy like Valiev.

 

[Number13]

Was at the game tonight, Zaitsev is legit ladies and gentleman. Babs put him out for every power play. He was jumping in on the rush, but never got caught up the ice. Has some nastiness to him too, he has star potential.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Zaitsev is dominant without the puck. He wins puck battles and can clear the front of the net a lot better than Polak.

I think he's the perfect partner for Rielly.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Zaitsev is dominant without the puck. He wins puck battles and can clear the front of the net a lot better than Polak.

I think he's the perfect partner for Rielly.

More like Rielly is the perfect partner for Zaitsev.

That goal tonight. Wow.

How long before people start calling him Vassily instead of Nikita.

 

[diceman934]

More like Rielly is the perfect partner for Zaitsev.

That goal tonight. Wow.

How long before people start calling him Vassily instead of Nikita.

I guess you missed Rielly's goal....Rielly is our #1

He played very well and it is nice that we have another top 4 D man.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

I guess you missed Rielly's goal....Rielly is our #1

He played very well and it is nice that we have another top 4 D man.

No need to drive down Zaitsev. I think he's a 3D at least with the potential to be a pretty decent #2.

The make up is there.

 

[cookie]

Zaitsev is dominant without the puck. He wins puck battles and can clear the front of the net a lot better than Polak.

I think he's the perfect partner for Rielly.

Then you figure out that he's been playing in the KHL since he was 17 and you start to wonder how teams didn't draft him.

 

[diceman934]

No need to drive down Zaitsev. I think he's a 3D at least with the potential to be a pretty decent #2.

The make up is there.

I said he played very well.....and was not driving him down....he was saying that Zaitsev was better then Rielly and that is simply not true. People need to understand that he is almost 25 years old. He is in his prime, what we see is what we are getting.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

I said he played very well.....and was not driving him down....he was saying that Zaitsev was better then Rielly and that is simply not true. People need to understand that he is almost 25 years old. He is in his prime, what we see is what we are getting.

Rielly will be an undisputed #1D. His puck rushing ability is probably going to be top 5 in the NHL.

Zaitsev, however, has the make up to be a top pairing guy. He can do what Stralman should've done here or essentially be a Hjalmarsson with a strong shot.

 

[diceman934]

Rielly will be an undisputed #1D. His puck rushing ability is probably going to be top 5 in the NHL.

Zaitsev, however, has the make up to be a top pairing guy. He can do what Stralman should've done here or essentially be a Hjalmarsson with a strong shot.

I am hopeful that he can play that role, he has looked good in tourney play and hope he can carry that forward to the NHL. He is very good but will likely start with Gardiner and go from there.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

I am hopeful that he can play that role, he has looked good in tourney play and hope he can carry that forward to the NHL. He is very good but will likely start with Gardiner and go from there.

If that were to happen, I expect the Gardiner - Zaitsev to become the defacto top pairing. Hunwick just doesn't cut in on the top pairing and Marincin would be playing a pairing too high as well.

Let Gardiner carry Marincin in a second pairing role instead.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

what are your guys point total prediction for Zaitsev?

also I noticed he had a few hits tonight... will he have a high hit total?

 

[HellasLEAF]

As if I wasn't excited enough about Nikita I just read the article about how one of my favourite Leaf dmen Yushkevich aka the Russian Tank trained him back in Russia and mentored him.

 

[ToneBone03]

Zaitsev looked absolutely amazing last night. Was our best defenseman along with Mo. It's only going to take a couple weeks for other fan bases to realize how great of a signing this was. I am already a Zaitsev fan. Reminds me of a former Russian defenseman whose last name also began with Z.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Don't know why anyone would have any doubt about Zaitsev being capable as an NHL player.

Panarin joined Hawks as a 22 year old and is looking like an all star, Radulov gets 5.75m from the Canadians, Zaitsev is a 24 year old KHL all star.

There was an article in the Toronto Star this weekend decision to come to North America. He trained with this summer with Gary Robarts.....so I guess he's a guy that want to work.

Why Toronto? Just my thoughts why. Well they have cap space next year if he wants to sign a long term contract. If by chance he needed some time in the AHL, well his family wouldn't have to leave Toronto if he played with the Marlies. Great opportunity to be the top RHD on a team immediately, though I do have faith that Carrick is going to be OK.

Hyman and Soshnikov were signed as "older players....22 and 23 years. So sometimes there may be value in signing...physcially strong men.

The bit I have seem Zaitsev in the World Cup and pre season, he looks like a solid NHLer

The GM of Zaitsev's KHL team was some guy named Sergei Federov. I think there's some connection to Shanahan but can't put my finger on it...

Joking aside Federov specifically identified Zaitsev as someone Shanahan would be interested in.

The current Leafs org has A LOT of clout in Russia. Shanahan was always a big supporter of Russian players in NA, and we got Lou Lam who was the architect that brought the first Russian import (defector) to North America.

T'aint no coincidence.

 

[Xscout*]

Looking at their defensive metrics, Trouba's better defensively for sure. Mark Stuart drags him down a LOT more than Hunwick does. He makes everyone's defensive play better when paired with.

Imo Zaistev is really good defensively and possession-wise (even though there's no stats right now for him).

I feel like a Rielly-Zaistev pair would be great but we still have to see if Zaistev can handle top-pairing every night.

Please provide links to these metrics that do not exist.

Also zaitsev is a fine skater. What's this white noise around these parts about him being below average?