Confirmed with Link: Maple Leafs re-sign Nikita Zaitsev for 7 years, $4.5M per

[The CyNick]

People need to stop echoing Cherry's obsession with +/- stats

Another win for the bad guy

 

[PuckMagi]

Let's not sugar coat things... he wasn't great this year. But he wasn't awful either. Seems like injury, flu, baby, no PP time, are the biggest factors.

I expect him to be a lot better next year. Obviously still a bit nervous about the contract because it's still a gamble... but I'm optimistic.

 

[rent free]

hope to god he regains his form. he probably will

 

[The CyNick]

This contract is going to look amazing soon

Maybe, but not yet.

 

[sparxx87]

Let's not sugar coat things... he wasn't great this year. But he wasn't awful either. Seems like injury, flu, baby, no PP time, are the biggest factors.

I expect him to be a lot better next year. Obviously still a bit nervous about the contract because it's still a gamble... but I'm optimistic.

Yeah, he wasn’t able to find his rhythm and his missed time had him playing catch-up all year... he was actually very good in games 4-7 against Boston.

I’m still relatively confident he’s a top 4 d man and the 4.5m will be good number for him.

 

[The CyNick]

You're not going to go far in your GM role if you don't take analytics into account.

Don't need to. I watch games and my record speaks for itself. As evident by...this thread.

Notice how many people had walls of text defending the signing. Today they look silly and I said one word and look like a genius.

Guys like me and Grapes are in arenas watching games, we know what's what.

 

[Stephen]

He's got the ability to be Nate Schmidt, hopefully he rebounds.

 

[Liminality]

Don't need to. I watch games and my record speaks for itself. As evident by...this thread.

Notice how many people had walls of text defending the signing. Today they look silly and I said one word and look like a genius.

Guys like me and Grapes are in arenas watching games, we know what's what.

When can you sign? Actually, maybe you should replace Cherry.

I'll try to remember your record that speaks for itself in the future when it may become important...somewhere.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Don't need to. I watch games and my record speaks for itself. As evident by...this thread.

Notice how many people had walls of text defending the signing. Today they look silly and I said one word and look like a genius.

Guys like me and Grapes are in arenas watching games, we know what's what.

ahuh.
so if he has a good year next year will you quote this post and go "oops,i was silly?"

 

[al secord]

ahuh.
so if he has a good year next year will you quote this post and go "oops,i was silly?"

Something tells me this "record that speaks for itself" doesn't contain his losses. Just like the other blow hard he compared himself to.

 

[The CyNick]

ahuh.
so if he has a good year next year will you quote this post and go "oops,i was silly?"

Read my first post in this thread. It says everything you need to know.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Read my first post in this thread. It says everything you need to know.

lol no it does not.
the question was. if and/or when Zaitzev has a good year, will you say you were wrong?

answer: no. which doens't surprise me.

 

[The CyNick]

Let's not sugar coat things... he wasn't great this year. But he wasn't awful either. Seems like injury, flu, baby, no PP time, are the biggest factors.

I expect him to be a lot better next year. Obviously still a bit nervous about the contract because it's still a gamble... but I'm optimistic.

Which is why the deal was scary. We committed seven years based on one year that wasn't even that great, but the analytics crowd was fooled by it.

 

[The CyNick]

lol no it does not.
the question was. if and/or when Zaitzev has a good year, will you say you were wrong?

answer: no. which doens't surprise me.

If I'm ever wrong about anything hockey related, I'll be happy to admit it. If for no other reason than to change things up a little.

 

[Menzinger]

Potentially Lou’s biggest mistake as GM.

Hoping he can rebound this season, Babcock still seems high on him. He always looks great on international ice.

Edit: also funny enough, I’d say a fair number (as in the majority) of he Leafs analytics writers also weren’t fans of the contract

 

[Daisy Jane]

Potentially Lou’s biggest mistake as GM.

Hoping he can rebound this season, Babcock still seems high on him. He always looks great on international ice.

Edit: also funny enough, I’d say a fair number (as in the majority) of he Leafs analytics writers also weren’t fans of the contract

honestly. it's not that bad of a contract. all of this handwringing over nothing, if you ask me.
the guy had a concussion to end the year (which can mess you up for a spell). he had a baby, he wasn't feeling good coming into camp, and he never had his footing. then he breaks his foot, gets the flu lost a bucket full of weight. he had a bad year. that doesn't mean he's bad.

if it does turn out to be bad, the leafs will bury it and/or he'llgo to russia and it's all ignored. poof.
ifit doesn't (which i feel it is not). you have a serviceable guy who can move up/down the line up with a manageable hit. it's not as drama as people are making it out to be.

 

[Crease Master]

This guy is worth the money right now, and if he ever isn't worth the money he can be sent to the minors which will probably encourage him to go back to the KHL and get off the cap. He is part of the solution right now, Cherry be damned. He's not a problem.

 

[The CyNick]

This guy is worth the money right now, and if he ever isn't worth the money he can be sent to the minors which will probably encourage him to go back to the KHL and get off the cap. He is part of the solution right now, Cherry be damned. He's not a problem.

He is an NHL quality D man, he just didn't earn a 7 year deal. That should be reserved for upper tier guys, which thus far he has not proven he is.

 

[BertCorbeau]

The silver lining is that there is not a NMC/NTC type clause (I can’t remember specifally what he has) until next summer, so he can still be moved a bit easier between now and next year if he struggles again.

Let’s hope he rebounds next season. Just need him to be a solid #4

 

[Yamazaki]

He’s always been a two way dman known for his offensive skills. Babcock primarily put hm in a shut down roll and he struggled with it this year, all those injuries didn’t help either. I think he bounces back in a big way next year, just call it a hunch.

 

[ottomaddox]

I think there's a lot of hindsight discussions here. Based on his first season with TOR he did deserve a contract. No one can say he didn't deserve it. If you are arguing that it's too long then that because he's coming off a bad season. We can't look ahead and say that he'll always have bad seasons. TOR wouldn't sign anyone if they thought there was nothing but risky bad players out there.

 

[Menzinger]

I think there's a lot of hindsight discussions here. Based on his first season with TOR he did deserve a contract. No one can say he didn't deserve it. If you are arguing that it's too long then that because he's coming off a bad season. We can't look ahead and say that he'll always have bad seasons. TOR wouldn't sign anyone if they thought there was nothing but risky bad players out there.

He definitely earned a contract.

But one good season isn’t necessarily proof that a guy earned 7 year commitment. Especially considering a lot of his offense was from the PP.

I hope he rebounds, but he’s going to need to be a clear top four guy to earn a 4+ million dollar AAV.

 

[Randy Randerson]

the 7 year commitment wasn't what "he earned", it was a gamble on our part to get #2/3 performance out of him while locking him down to what will likely be a #4dman price (contract average). We have no idea if that gamble was a good one yet, too easy to lose perspective at the peaks and valleys, let's wait before we judge. I will say that he doesn't have to be nearly as good as most think he does to earn that contract over it's life, assuming the cap inflation continues at it's current pace

 

[Buds17]

He definitely earned a contract.

But one good season isn’t necessarily proof that a guy earned 7 year commitment. Especially considering a lot of his offense was from the PP.

I hope he rebounds, but he’s going to need to be a clear top four guy to earn a 4+ million dollar AAV.

Perhaps he could eventually reclaim a spot on the PP if Gardiner isn't going to be re-signed? Would also depend on the rest of our blueline personnel. I think Zaitsev and Hainsey were looked at to PK and be the more defensive minded sides of their respective ES pairings to allow the offensive abilities of Gardiner and Rielly to flourish.

Hope Zaitsev can be fully healthy next season too, as he was for his rookie season.

 

[BlueForever75]

Zaitsev will prove to be a bargain next season and beyond. He is the perfect long term partner for Dermott moving forward. Have you watched Orlov in Washington this playoffs? This is the type of dman Zaitsev will turnout to be. He has some tough injuries this season and personal things he was going through. But in the series against Boston, it was debatable that he was probably the best dman we had out there.

He will be fine. One season doesn't make a career! Relax people.