Zaitsev

[Zybalto]

I thought Dermott was the best defenceman both games.

Dermott has been excellent and was very good in the first game.

Gotta give the edge to Zaitsev though as he played the most minutes on the team at ES and 5v5, played harder minutes, played almost 5 min of clean PK (when all the other PK defenceman were brutal), and had amazing scoring chance numbers on a night when the rest of the team was in the negative.

A big problem around here is that he wasnt given any credit for being so good. Now the narrative sets in that hes been awful when he been pretty good outside of one period.

 

[LeafFever]

Dermott has been really good but our coach still has more confidance is Zaits and Hainsy, who are playing so bad.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

He's a placeholder. Nothing more. Signed him to a long-term contract because we needed someone to play the minutes and had no one else.
RHD: Hainsey, Zaitsev, Polak, Carrick

You dont sign a place holder for 7 years.

 

[LeafFever]

You dont sign a place holder for 7 years.

Yeah, any supporting piece should not get that deal. Heck,that's why I've been against JVR for 8 years. Despite him leading the team in goals, the guy is a supporting piece that's one-dimensional.

 

[Field of Dreams]

Russian spy tampering with our playoffs!

 

[Mess]

Russian spy tampering with our playoffs!

Robert Muller should be checking into Russian collusion into this years Leafs playoff series, when he has some spare time from his other special counsel prosecutorial duties..

Zaitsev has been brutal in this series and might in fact be the worst Leaf play in this years playoffs its almost like he is working more for the Bruins than the Leafs at this point.

 

[MapleLeafistan]

I'm prepared to patient. If you can be patient with Gardener for all these years, you should be patient with Zaitsev.

 

[Maple Leaf]

We will see how he does next year
Then buyout his contract

 

[PuckMagi]

Dermott already passed Zaitsev. Rielly and Gardiner were always ahead of him. He's our #4 defender at best now. Liljegren will probably pass him soon too in a couple of years. That's way too big of a contract for what could ultimately be our 6th best defender in a year or two (if he isn't already).

 

[Larcos_Unal]

We will see how he does next year
Then buyout his contract

You can't buy out his contract man, we're gonna be paying him almost a million over the next TWELVE YEARS.

 

[moon111]

The problem with having an offensive team, you'll win more playing offensively... at least in the regular season.
A strong offense will destroy weaker teams. But often... you won't beat teams that have it all down pat.
Wayne Gretzky scores 196 points and gets swept in four games by the New York Islanders.
Zaitsev, as well as the entire team, did not learn anything from their series against Washington.
When it's come to playing good two-way competitive hockey, they fail. Zaitsev, as well as the entire team, needs
to play playoff hockey. Not just now, always. Hopefully this series will show the Leafs they are pretenders,
not contenders. I think attitudes on how to play, the importance of how Babcock has tried to mold them
will not be lost on all players and players like Zaitsev and the entire team change for the future. The issue
with Zaitsev, like many, they thought they knew how to win, only it wasn't when the chips are down.

 

[MLSE]

I'd try to play Rielly-Hainsey half the game and Gardiner-Dermott the other half. Use whatever bottom pair sparingly in the right situations (like a breather or PK) for whatever minutes needed.

 

[rent free]

its time to waive him and never let him wear a leafs jersey every again. hopefully he gets mad and demands to go back to russia so we can terminate his contract

 

[Kiwi]

I'm prepared to patient. If you can be patient with Gardener for all these years, you should be patient with Zaitsev.

At least Gardiner had fancy stats and major flashes of brilliance to recommend him

What's Zaitsev got besides he can skate?

 

[96]

At least Gardiner had fancy stats and major flashes of brilliance to recommend him

What's Zaitsev got besides he can skate?

People like you are so f***in clueless.

 

[Kiwi]

People like you are so ****in clueless.

So you've got nothing?

If this is the best argument you've got is feel sorry for you

 

[96]

So you've got nothing?

That's probably what I'd say if I didn't have a clue how to defend my opinion

Lol. Do you not remember his outstanding rookie season last year or did you just become a Leafs fan this year, while he was dealing with multiple injuries all season? Get a f***in clue.

Gardiner had a great rookie season, then an injury riddled second year which resulted in him spending most of the season on the Marlies.

You either had no clue or you chose to forget because Z is Russian? Lmaooo

 

[Kiwi]

Lol. Do you not remember his outstanding rookie season last year or did you just become a Leafs fan this year, while he was dealing with multiple injuries all season? Get a ****in clue.

Gardiner had a great rookie season, then an injury riddled second year which resulted in him spending most of the season on the Marlies.

You either had no clue or you chose to forget because Z is Russian? Lmaooo

What the hell are you talking about?

He was massively overrated last season because he was the bright new thing and he's gotten worse this season

There's a reason his advanced stats have sucked this season and they were poor last season

He's not very good and he's not a ****** kid he's right in the middle of his prime

He's not worth that awful ****** contract and he never was

 

[TmlHockeyFan]

Was impressed by him in game 3. Hopefully he can keep that play up.

 

[DarkKnight]

Was impressed by him in game 3. Hopefully he can keep that play up.

He was great last night.

 

[MattySnipes]

Was impressed by him in game 3. Hopefully he can keep that play up.

I agree when he keeps it simple he looks pretty good when I don't notice Z thats a good thing.

 

[Mugzy97]

I feel like judgement should be held until at least halfway through next season. He started out the year great but had a tough year personally and now looks like he's in "start of season" shape when everyone else is in playoff shape.

 

[Tak7]

Babcock's comments about Z post-game were interesting. Combine that with Babcock's comments about him earlier in the year, regarding Z's inability to move on from tough performances, and it sounds like they are working pretty hard to build up his confidence

 

[Gary Nylund]

What the hell are you talking about?

He was massively overrated last season because he was the bright new thing and he's gotten worse this season

There's a reason his advanced stats have sucked this season and they were poor last season

He's not very good and he's not a ****** kid he's right in the middle of his prime

He's not worth that awful ****** contract and he never was

You think Lou gave him 7 years because he likes shiny new things?

 

[Battle Lin]

zaitsev to me just every night, plays a lot of minutes against star players, plays hard, plays physical, makes mistakes like all D but is usually his rock solid self most the time