Nikita Zadorov's Shutdown Ability

[Yatzhee]

Poor Buffalo think they could use him right about now

Liked getting ROR, but losing Zads was tough.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I'm not saying he's bad offensively at all. He certainly has talent and intelligence with the puck.

I'm just saying his current streak of 6 points in 8 games probably isn't going to be the norm.

He has some upside there, for sure. I always pegged his ceiling as Vladimir Konstantinov 2.0.

 

[cgf]

I wouldn't discount his offensive upside, it's there. He has a nice shot and shows flashes of vision.

Producing offensive numbers as a defenseman is tricky, it's more then just having the talent, a lot of it is hockey sense. You need to pick your spots when to be aggressive. Even the best get caught out of position on occasion.

He has the skill, and when he’s feeling confident he can be very creative. But he’s really established his shutdown game as his bread and butter that he builds out from. Peacock is very different from the player the sabres rushed into the lineup alongside risto.

Does he have the potential to become one in five years?

Zads has the potential to be a more defensively sound version of Buff/Burns. Will he get there? Probably not, but nobody knows just how far short of that ceiling he’ll end up.

If ends up a good top pairing partner for EJ and then Makar, that’s good enough for me Though I won’t be shocked if he does become a bigger and more creative EJ when all is said & done.

 

[tsujimoto74]

He has the skill, and when he’s feeling confident he can be very creative. But he’s really established his shutdown game as his bread and butter that he builds out from. Peacock is very different from the player the sabres rushed into the lineup alongside risto.

Not really fair to the Sabres. Zadorov forced his way onto the roster by slacking off in the OHL, then threatening to go to Russia, and by showing up to camp 40lbs overweight. He made it abundantly clear that he needed the team to babysit him if he was going to do anything. He didn't even dress for a game until ~half way through that season -- the Sabres didn't want him playing, they just needed to keep him within arm's reach. I'm glad he's matured in Colorado, but he rushed himself into the NHL.

 

[Hostile Offer]

He would look good alongside Risto but then again like you said the Sabres wouldnt have O’Reilly

Risto paired with Zadorov today is a pretty scary scenario now that I really think about it. Two big dmen who have big shots and deliver BIG hits, and should be able to complement each other's play... oh man.

 

[Kcb12345]

I love dmen like this. They don't get the recognition they deserve, for example Esa Lindell in Dallas is just like this. Plays the game right and will rarely ever make a mistake, and can chip in offensively as well (has a surprisingly quick release and great vision). Best part is guys like Zadorov and Lindell are still very young and will only become better and likely increase their offensive sides. They need more recognition around the league. It's the little things they do that prevent major scoring chances but generally go unnoticed

 

[John Pedro]

I don't watch a ton of Avs hockey so the image I have of Zadorov is his neat assist to Jesper Bratt.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Not really fair to the Sabres. Zadorov forced his way onto the roster by slacking off in the OHL, then threatening to go to Russia, and by showing up to camp 40lbs overweight. He made it abundantly clear that he needed the team to babysit him if he was going to do anything. He didn't even dress for a game until ~half way through that season -- the Sabres didn't want him playing, they just needed to keep him within arm's reach. I'm glad he's matured in Colorado, but he rushed himself into the NHL.

I agree with this. It isn't fair to blame the Sabres for how they handled Zadorov. Grigorenko, sure. But Zadorov made life tough on himself. He has certainly matured in Colorado though.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

I don't watch a ton of Avs hockey so the image I have of Zadorov is his neat assist to Jesper Bratt.

agreed, the underrating of the Devils in this thread is sickening

 

[Ceremony]

I look forward to the thread I'll make in fifteen years commending him for his Chara-esque career trajectory.

 

[cgf]

Not really fair to the Sabres. Zadorov forced his way onto the roster by slacking off in the OHL, then threatening to go to Russia, and by showing up to camp 40lbs overweight. He made it abundantly clear that he needed the team to babysit him if he was going to do anything. He didn't even dress for a game until ~half way through that season -- the Sabres didn't want him playing, they just needed to keep him within arm's reach. I'm glad he's matured in Colorado, but he rushed himself into the NHL.

I wasn’t blaming buffalo for it. I blame CHL-AHL-NHL agreement most of all in that scenario. Just saying he’s a very different player than the kid who was focused more on ‘make hit & score goal’ than playing shutdown defense.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I wasn’t blaming buffalo for it. I blame CHL-AHL-NHL agreement most of all in that scenario. Just saying he’s a very different player than the kid who was focused more on ‘make hit & score goal’ than playing shutdown defense.

Still my 2nd favorite Zadorov quote, though.

(Paraphrasing from what I remember of his draft interview):
Interviewer: Can you describe your game?
Zads: I like to hit people and score goal.
Interviewer: Is there a player or coach who inspired you to play that way?
Zads: I just love it. I love to hit people and score goal.
He also referred to Buffalo as "the Boof-land" during that interview.

1st favorite: Zadorov on finally being dressed for his first game that season after being a healthy scratch for months, to Sabres color guy Rob Ray: "Get your popcorn, I'm in tonight."



The kid was always fun. He just didn't always take his training as seriously as he needed to. I'm happy for him and the Avs that he's succeeding there.

 

[Kale Makar]

This isn't really a "poor Buffalo" scenario. We got a heck of a player in return for him.

Nice to see Zadorov starting to turn it around.

Haven't kept up with ROR since the trade, how's he doing? With Zads and JTC looking to be great players for us, and Greer a possible good bottom sixer, how'd this trade turn out?

 

[Kale Makar]

Risto paired with Zadorov today is a pretty scary scenario now that I really think about it. Two big dmen who have big shots and deliver BIG hits, and should be able to complement each other's play... oh man.

The Avs never have consistent pairings on d, but when EJ and Z are together I imagine that doesn't look fun for the opposing team.

 

[gallagt01]

Haven't kept up with ROR since the trade, how's he doing? With Zads and JTC looking to be great players for us, and Greer a possible good bottom sixer, how'd this trade turn out?

This trade turned out to be really good for both sides. He's having a down year, but ROR has overall been every bit as good as Avs fans had said he was years prior to the trade. He's Mr. Everything.

The Avs got a haul in return and any Sabres fan that disagrees has blinders on. Great trade for both clubs. It just took a while for Colorado to benefit.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Haven't kept up with ROR since the trade, how's he doing? With Zads and JTC looking to be great players for us, and Greer a possible good bottom sixer, how'd this trade turn out?

This year hasn't been his best, tbh, but I love him. He just does everything so well (except maybe one-timers -- seems like he always has to settle the puck down first). Tim Murray screwed up a bunch in his brief stint as GM here, but that's one move I wouldn't take back. We gave up some very good pieces, but that's inevitable when you're going after a player of ROR's ilk.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Haven't kept up with ROR since the trade, how's he doing? With Zads and JTC looking to be great players for us, and Greer a possible good bottom sixer, how'd this trade turn out?

ROR's still the best player from this trade by a pretty fair margin.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

He has some upside there, for sure. I always pegged his ceiling as Vladimir Konstantinov 2.0.

I think you are underselling VK here. As a RW hater, VK was absolutely an elite difference maker. If Zads turns into 70% of that then COL is ridiculously lucky.

 

[Merci Saku]

Another monster performance against Columbus tonight

Shut down Columbus offense
23+ minutes
3 hits
+1

Him and Johnson are an elite pair that is putting Colorado in playoffs contention

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Another monster performance against Columbus tonight

Shut down Columbus offense
23+ minutes
3 hits
+1

Him and Johnson are an elite pair that is putting Colorado in playoffs contention

Avs were 44cf% and Zadorov was at 50%. 62% against PLD in particular who is the Centre he matched up against the most.

 

[Hasbro]

He's the destitute man's Rob Blake now.

 

[Lemonlimey]

General Zad like hit and score goal

 

[cgf]

Still my 2nd favorite Zadorov quote, though.

(Paraphrasing from what I remember of his draft interview):
Interviewer: Can you describe your game?
Zads: I like to hit people and score goal.
Interviewer: Is there a player or coach who inspired you to play that way?
Zads: I just love it. I love to hit people and score goal.
He also referred to Buffalo as "the Boof-land" during that interview.

1st favorite: Zadorov on finally being dressed for his first game that season after being a healthy scratch for months, to Sabres color guy Rob Ray: "Get your popcorn, I'm in tonight."



The kid was always fun. He just didn't always take his training as seriously as he needed to. I'm happy for him and the Avs that he's succeeding there.

Him no longer getting to talk about "Boof-land" is the biggest gripe I had with the trade

I was working in an all russian lab at Roswell Park when Zads got drafted by the Sabres and "boof-land" cracked even my co-workers up.

 

[S E P H]

Bumping this...

Was a complete force against McDavid last night and conducted a huge play against him in OT. Maybe someone can post his stats from last night, but was definitely the Avs best player.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Bumping this...

Was a complete force against McDavid last night and conducted a huge play against him in OT. Maybe someone can post his stats from last night, but was definitely the Avs best player.

His stats last night were pretty on par with most nights. The eye test of the great goal Z scored along with some eye popping defensive plays, particularly on McDavid is what made him look even better than most nights. I like stats, but the killer is that a play like what Zadorov made on McDavid in OT last night doesn't show up anywhere outside of in your sight if you watch the game. The fact is that he was caught flat footed, McDavid had a breakway and Z managed to use his big stride quick enough to turn around, catch him in time, strip him of the puck while he was 1 on 1 with the goalie, beat McDavid in a battle in the corner to win the puck and then send the puck up the other way which eventually leads to the GWG for Colorado.

Since you ask here are some stats from last night 5v5.

20:55 ice time. 9:52 vs McDavid (Most minutes of any player against McDavid at both 5v5 and All Situations)
57.58 CF%
63.64 SF%
100% GF%
8 scoring chances for, 4 against
33.33 Offensive Zone Start %
5 Individual Shot Attempts
6 hits
1 goal

Solid night on the stat sheet, but an even better night on the eyes.