Rumor: Rick Dhaliwal- Canucks looking to re-sign Zadorov before he hits UFA. Vancouver was high on Zadorov's UFA destination list.

[HighLifeMan]

Anything more than 3x4M for this guy will be a mistake. He can be quite the effective player in the right role, and at the correct cost, but he also thinks to highly of himself to be happy in a smaller role. Kind of a tricky spot.

Loved the player here, but he or his agent priced himself out.

 

[Raistlin]

I wouldn't call a 3rd + 5th for a bottom pairing Dman "cheap" tbh. It's fair value.

you missed the part where its a 3rd in 2026. thats an asset/contributor for the next GM.

 

[Drew Doubty]

Only 3 retention slots per team and the Flames have much bigger pieces to use those retention slots on then a #5 Dman.

If they do end up unloading a bunch of UFAs, Tanev, Lindholm, Hanifin at least will use those retention slots.



He's a #5 Dman that can play spot duty in the Top 4 but if he's playing top 4 minutes for you regularly, you aren't going to go very far.


Which to be fair is still a decent player, just need to make sure he's used properly and not playing above what he's capable of.

I'd have concerns in Vancouver about him playing too much if he's penciled into the 2nd pairing.

I don't think the Canucks need him to be a top 4 guy, at least not in the normal sense, but I agree it's not like the Canucks all of a sudden have a top 10 d-core.

They have a #1 in Hughes, a #2 in Hronek, and then a bunch of 4/5 guys filling out the rest of the D-core in Soucy, Myers, Cole, and Z. Which adds up to 2 below average 2nd pairs or 2 above average third pairs unless they split up Hughes and Hronek more often.

Tocchet is seems more concerned with managing TOI vs having set pairings. Z gives them the flexibility to spread out the minutes more evenly. Cole and Myers have been great this year, but are showing signs of wear.

 

[Double Dion]

That's why he's a #5 and not a #6 anymore. He's not a Top 4 guy on a legit Cup contender. He's basically a #4/5 in that he can play spot duty in the Top 4 but shouldn't be a full time option.

Again, it depends on the team. He's a #6 for the Rags. He's a #3 for Edmonton or Vancouver. I mean right now he's a #4 with Byram's struggles for the best team in the league IMO that you cheer for. I just think his skillset is so unique. Until his agent came out and started making noise he was our best defenseman this year. Better than Andersson, Hanifin, Tanev and Weegar. All of those guys are top pairing guys (albeit #2) except Tanev and he can be a 2nd pair guy all day.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

If Zadorov gets like $5m from the Canucks, I will feel a lot better about this trade

Nobody is paying Zadorov 5, or at least they shouldn't. Strange things do happen though.

 

[Bond]

Again, it depends on the team. He's a #6 for the Rags. He's a #3 for Edmonton or Vancouver. I mean right now he's a #4 with Byram's struggles for the best team in the league IMO that you cheer for. I just think his skillset is so unique. Until his agent came out and started making noise he was our best defenseman this year. Better than Andersson, Hanifin, Tanev and Weegar. All of those guys are top pairing guys (albeit #2) except Tanev and he can be a 2nd pair guy all day.

If if he is playing as #3 for the Canucks they will start to hate him

 

[Double Dion]

If if he is playing as #3 for the Canucks they will start to hate him

Noah Juulsen is presently on their 2nd pair. Zadorov is a massive upgrade for them. I don't think they'll hate him at all. Until his agent crap he was our best defenseman.

 

[Bond]

Until his agent crap he was our best defenseman.

lol no he wasn't, he was always sheltered and playing as the #5. We will just have to agree to disagree.

 

[StreetHawk]

Noah Juulsen is presently on their 2nd pair. Zadorov is a massive upgrade for them. I don't think they'll hate him at all. Until his agent crap he was our best defenseman.

When Soucy returns, and with Zadorov, unlikely bear would land in 2nd pairing.

He's going to be behind after missing 1/3 of the season, so he's got to figure out what his ultimate goal is. For someone of his pedigree, I would say, he needs to do what he thinks is best to secure a multi year contract in the summer.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Honestly, if there's no clauses with that signing, that's not that bad at all. Take him straight to the end of his prime, and given how he's played most games most seasons he should be pretty durable. Depth guys like Sissons (7 year deal at age 26 vs. your proposed 6 year deal at age 28 for Zadorov) have even signed for long terms and for slightly shorter deals, but if they have a role to play and can play it well, then why not?

I would probably add a ntc for 8 teams for the first 3 years. That seems to be all the rage.

 

[UrbanImpact]

NJD must be on tilt. They were one of the teams that really wanted Big Z and the way Luke Hughes is getting rag-dolled recently, you gotta think they will be after someone like Big Z soon.

 

[Double Dion]

lol no he wasn't, he was always sheltered and playing as the #5. We will just have to agree to disagree.

Yes we definitely disagree on this one. He has the best zone entry denials on the team. He plays consistently with #7 defensemen like Oesterle and Gilbert. He has the lowest HDSCA per 60 on the blueline and he finished tied for 2nd in ES goals in the league for D last season. He shrugs off forecheckers like they aren't even there.

Yes, his decision making is brutal. Especially since the trade request.

 

[Bond]

Yes we definitely disagree on this one. He has the best zone entry denials on the team. He plays consistently with #7 defensemen like Oesterle and Gilbert. He has the lowest HDSCA per 60 on the blueline and he finished tied for 2nd in ES goals in the league for D last season. He shrugs off forecheckers like they aren't even there.

Yes, his decision making is brutal. Especially since the trade request.

Now he is back on pace for his regular production. He is an adventure in his own zone at times and the mistakes amp up the more ice time he plays. He and Lindholm are the Flames that I wanted them to re-sign the least as they will both be overpaid

 

[Double Dion]

Now he is back on pace for his regular production. He is an adventure in his own zone at times and the mistakes amp up the more ice time he plays. He and Lindholm are the Flames that I wanted them to re-sign the least as they will both be overpaid

He's excellent in his own zone. It's his decisions with the puck at times that are an adventure. He has hands, but no ability to think on the fly.

 

[Bond]

He's excellent in his own zone. It's his decisions with the puck at times that are an adventure. He has hands, but no ability to think on the fly.

When he plays a simple game he is fine in his own zone, so we are probably saying the same thing. Chip it out and he is fine, any extended time with the puck and it gets chaotic lol

 

[Double Dion]

When he plays a simple game he is fine in his own zone, so we are probably saying the same thing. Chip it out and he is fine, any extended time with the puck and it gets chaotic lol

Yes, generally him going for a skate and then getting pressured into a blunder is where he has a tough time.

 

[DFF]

According to Dhaliwal this morning:

- Canucks have been after Zadorov for a long time
-Tochett really wanted Zadorov
- Beauvaillier trade was all for Zadorov
- They got Zadorov cheap because they had cap space and cgy didnt have to retain
- They want to re-sign Zadorov to a new contract before he hits free agency
-Zadorov had Vancouver as one of his top UFA destinations if he was to hit Free Agency.


What do you think a new contract would look like? Big Z is 28 yrs old and the cap is going up.
He is probably a 4-5-6 Dman depending how good your D-core is.

According to insiders there was about 3 serious teams after Big Z ( Van, Tor, NJD) and about 10 teams that checked in. I wonder if that would force a bidding war at free agency or the interest in Big Z was strictly as a rental.


If a pylon like Gudbranson can get 4x4 as a UFA, I think Big Z can get somewhere around 3-4 years @ 4.25 -4.75 AAV.

Gudbranson was better than Zadorov

 

[DFF]

Noah Juulsen is presently on their 2nd pair. Zadorov is a massive upgrade for them. I don't think they'll hate him at all. Until his agent crap he was our best defenseman.

Zadorov was really bad right before he came to Calgary. People forgot that. He was vastly inconsistent as a Flames. You are hurting if he is your second pair let alone massive upgrade on anything

you missed the part where its a 3rd in 2026. thats an asset/contributor for the next GM

And you missed the no retention part. That in itself is worth a decent pick

 

[UrbanImpact]

Big Z was already training in Miami this summer with Mikheyev and Kuzmenko. Looks like he wanted to play for Van for a while now and has very good relationship with players on the Canucks roster already.

 

[Some Other Flame]

Reportedly asked for 5.5M for 5 years from the Flames over the summer but maybe that was the Calgary price. If the Canucks are willing to give Zadorov the term he wants, then perhaps the cap will be lower - something like 4.5M per for 6 years. Still an overpayment for a bottom pairing defenceman but you can't teach size or whatever

 

[Bond]

Reportedly asked for 5.5M for 5 years from the Flames over the summer but maybe that was the Calgary price. If the Canucks are willing to give Zadorov the term he wants, then perhaps the cap will be lower - something like 4.5M per for 6 years. Still an overpayment for a bottom pairing defenceman but you can't teach size or whatever

He wanted the Flames to bite that his 14 goals were going to be the norm. They didn't thankfully

 

[Cogburn]

Thought he wanted out of Calgary due to lack of playing time?

No, he wanted out of Calgary due to the team, the fans and the city. Book it.

 

[Bobby9]

4 years 15M

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

4yrs
$18.5M

 

[jackjohnson]

He wanted somewhere in the 4-5M range for 5-6 years in Calgary. I would think the ask would be similar in Vancouver. I think you guys will like Zadorov. 250 pound men should not move like he does. He's incredibly strong and just shrugs off forecheckers. He's got a very hard wrist shot. Like 90MPH hard. He does make some puzzling plays at times, but is extremely physical and denies zone entries very well. I can't believe you got him for that price. Should have been more. He'll be your #3 defenseman IMO and stylistically is perfect for you guys.

What he asked in Calgary is not the same as what he wants in Vancouver. Calgary always pays the premium to keep players, think of Huburdeau, Coleman etc.