Injury Report: Zaitzev not recovering from the Flu, to undergo tests

Daisy Jane

everything is gonna be okay!
Jul 2, 2009
70,212
9,189
TSN reported this.
I wonder if it's this nasty chest infection going on. both my parents have it, and the've been sick/lethgargic for sicks, but it looks and act like the flu.

hope he gets well soon.
 

MattySnipes

Registered User
Jan 26, 2018
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'Mecca' of Hockey
Yikes! Hopefully they have locked away in some chamber away from the rest of the team :laugh::sarcasm:

Kidding aside, hopefully he feels better soon and is back in the lineup. We need him to figure it out before the playoffs! 13 games left.
 

FlareKnight

Registered User
Jun 26, 2006
19,822
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Alberta
That's unfortunate. Well hopefully they get to the bottom of it. There's time for him to get over this thing and get back into the lineup. Another rough thing to add to what has been a difficult season for Zaitsev.
 
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Advanced stats

Registered User
May 26, 2010
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Scary stuff, keep him out and away from the tram. Wonder if it's been an underlying issue for longer than the past week...
 

Christ

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Mar 10, 2004
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Canada
Makes sense, I just finish watching "The Stand" and this is the first thing I read...
 

HogTown06

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Jul 20, 2012
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Hammonds Plains
Get well soon!

At first I though "he hasn't been really good this season, they are not going to miss him that much..." and then I saw Polak on the second pairing... Panic, panic, panic!
 

ShaneFalco

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Jul 15, 2012
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London, On
Interesting bit on Z here: Toronto Maple Leafs Notebook: Leafs finding balance, measuring Nikita Zaitsev's impact & more

All in all, that gives the Leafs a defenseman that is not playing ultra-tough minutes but also not doing particularly well in those minutes. Meanwhile, his production has dropped right off without power play time this season. He does play a ton, including the penalty kill, but the penalty kill has been more productive without him in a short sample. Turning 27 in October, he is in the middle of his prime and is signed for six more seasons at a $4.5 million cap hit.

When the Leafs start locking up their stars to long-term deals, Zaitsev’s contract is one they will, at the very least, want to move at some point. For the time being, though, he is a player the Leafsare counting on for big minutes – whether he’s productive in them or not.
 

moon111

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Oct 18, 2014
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I think the best role for Zaitsev currently is replacing Tim Gleason on the buy-out list. Worst Leaf's decision in a very long time.
Of course the Leaf's blue-line is a desperate mess so he's not there yet. But considering what he offers @ $4.5 is the worst value
by far on the team. He's paid more then Jake Gardiner. He makes six times more then Connor Carrick. Yes defensemen who
handle the puck tend to have high giveaways, but he's in the same territory as Byfuglien, Doughtry, and Karlsson. My current
feelings not very positive, and the Leafs really need this guy to pull it together. Outside of Rielly and Gardiner, the Leafs had
one assist from their remaining defensemen in the playoffs last year. That's not going to be enough.
 

JadedLeaf

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Nov 14, 2007
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Saskatchewan
I think the best role for Zaitsev currently is replacing Tim Gleason on the buy-out list. Worst Leaf's decision in a very long time.
Of course the Leaf's blue-line is a desperate mess so he's not there yet. But considering what he offers @ $4.5 is the worst value
by far on the team. He's paid more then Jake Gardiner. He makes six times more then Connor Carrick. Yes defensemen who
handle the puck tend to have high giveaways, but he's in the same territory as Byfuglien, Doughtry, and Karlsson. My current
feelings not very positive, and the Leafs really need this guy to pull it together. Outside of Rielly and Gardiner, the Leafs had
one assist from their remaining defensemen in the playoffs last year. That's not going to be enough.
He's signed for 6 more years after this season, you really want to buy him out and have to pay him for the next 12?
 

Walshy7

Registered User
Sep 18, 2016
25,326
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Toronto
He's signed for 6 more years after this season, you really want to buy him out and have to pay him for the next 12?

Zaitsev's poor play has been completely overstated. Is he playing like a $4.5M dman? no he hasn't but at worst he has been a #5 dman, some posters seem to wanna make out Polak has been better. Polaks best game of the season would be barely better than zaitsev's worst. Who cares about $ for the rest of this year it effects nothing. He will have the entire offseason to get back to his previous form
 

JadedLeaf

Registered User
Nov 14, 2007
4,446
2,660
Saskatchewan
Zaitsev's poor play has been completely overstated. Is he playing like a $4.5M dman? no he hasn't but at worst he has been a #5 dman, some posters seem to wanna make out Polak has been better. Polaks best game of the season would be barely better than zaitsev's worst. Who cares about $ for the rest of this year it effects nothing. He will have the entire offseason to get back to his previous form
Oh I have no problem with his contract yet. Was just pointing out how buying him out would be crazy right now. I'll leave him another season or two before I'm ready to call it a terrible deal.
 

Advanced stats

Registered User
May 26, 2010
11,641
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I think the best role for Zaitsev currently is replacing Tim Gleason on the buy-out list. Worst Leaf's decision in a very long time.
Of course the Leaf's blue-line is a desperate mess so he's not there yet. But considering what he offers @ $4.5 is the worst value
by far on the team. He's paid more then Jake Gardiner. He makes six times more then Connor Carrick. Yes defensemen who
handle the puck tend to have high giveaways, but he's in the same territory as Byfuglien, Doughtry, and Karlsson. My current
feelings not very positive, and the Leafs really need this guy to pull it together. Outside of Rielly and Gardiner, the Leafs had
one assist from their remaining defensemen in the playoffs last year. That's not going to be enough.

Wow, just wow..
Seriously going to rip a guy who's having an off year, but is a great 3/4 defenseman? Playing in his 2nd year in the NHL?

Have you even thought of the buyout implications?

And obviously zaits will bounce back from this season he's having. He's much more talented than he's shown lately.
 

Spirit of 67

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Nov 25, 2016
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Kiwi

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Mar 5, 2016
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Wow, just wow..
Seriously going to rip a guy who's having an off year, but is a great 3/4 defenseman? Playing in his 2nd year in the NHL?

Have you even thought of the buyout implications?

And obviously zaits will bounce back from this season he's having. He's much more talented than he's shown lately.

Off year? Great #3-#4 defenseman?
Well this is just untrue

He hasn't had a good year yet including last season

The cold hard fact is he's never been worth that contract and it looks borderline terrible already, I understand why the front office gave it to him but as of now it doesn't look good and no in don't want to buy him out
 

rent free

Registered User
Apr 6, 2015
20,427
6,114
One thing I've been thinking about with his contract is, if his struggles are such that he's been overtaken by enough players, the Leafs could waive him and if he clears, send him to the A. Then, he'd likely just go back home I think.
Either way, I think the Leafs can get out of it fairly simply.
No way he'd leave 27 million dollars for Russia. He said he'd rather play here than Russia I believe. Even if that's false, he wouldn't leave that much money on the table.
 

Buds17

Registered User
Nov 29, 2015
8,223
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Hopeful for a speedy recovery. Says a lot about the team that we've been able to motor on at the clip we have without two key cogs and ice-time leaders in Matthews and Zaitsev for good stretches.
 
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-DeMo-

Registered User
Nov 12, 2006
5,441
352
Huntsville Ontario
Wow, just wow..
Seriously going to rip a guy who's having an off year, but is a great 3/4 defenseman? Playing in his 2nd year in the NHL?

Have you even thought of the buyout implications?

And obviously zaits will bounce back from this season he's having. He's much more talented than he's shown lately.

how do you know he's having an off year if he hasn't even played 2 full season's yet?

hope he feels better soon we need him for the playoffs
 

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