Prospect Info: Nikita Zadorov (2013, 16th) – '14-15: Buffalo (NHL) – 2015: Graduated + traded to Avs

[Unsustainable]

Canes fan coming in Peace.

I'm jelly of your 2 picks, I would have taken Zadorov and Risto over Jones.

 

[Myllz]

Was really surprised he fell to 16, but I love the pick. Risto and Zadorov is a pretty awesome first round.

 

[jBuds]

I'm mixed

 

[Sabre Dance]

Like the picks because it shows they are building with certain types of players.

 

[Man of Principles]

Not at all what I was expecting but not at all upset. I'll take two huge bruisers on the backend any day. Now trade Myers for some offensive help please.

 

[dire wolf]

I like it. But I'm a D-first kind of guy anyway.

 

[Paxon]

 

[jBuds]

I like it. But I'm a D-first kind of guy anyway.

I am too

But I don't love the idea of a project in such a sure thing kind of draft.

I'm fine. I like that we are bigger and meaner and the d pipeline is heavy again

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Loved this pick, as he's sliding down the board..I'm thinking could he make it to 16. Risto and Zadarov.

 

[Eye of Ra]

All of a sudden, our future D looks NASTY to play against.

beucse of two euros. soft euros, eh? when will the myth die.

 

[krt88]

You guys are stacked on D now. Your easily going to take out the big bad Bruins soon. Milan who? When Myers, Risto and Zads are in his face. Good luck to you guys.

love comments like this, come on these guys are several years away from being big time NHL players. I haven't seen many 18/19 year old defensemen manhandling NHL forwards, especially some of the studs of the game.

 

[Woodhouse]

Rogers TV -- London Knights Nikita Zadorov: Top Prospect.

***

Patrick King of Sportsnet writes:

Zadorov made huge strides in his first season with the Knights, developing a reputation as a physical, two-way defender. He jumped up in the rush at a moment’s notice and displayed soft hands around the goal area. He can make a strong first pass and start the rush offensively. Zadorov plays a solid defensive game, underlined by a bruising and punishing physical style. He has the size, at six-foot-four and 200 pounds, that can stand to add another 30 pounds of muscle once he fills out. He’s far from a finished product, but his development is on the right track towards becoming a big-time defender.

 

[Woodhouse]

Hockey's Future profile:

2012-13: Zadorov was one of the top defenseman for a London Knights team that finished with the Ontario Hockey League's best record. In 63 regular season games he was plus-33 and scored 6 goals with 19 assists; amassing 54 penalty minutes. Zadorov was a candidate for Russia's U20 team but was not selected for the team that competed in Ufa. He was ranked 30th among North American skaters in Central Scouting's mid-term rankings prior to the 2013 NHL Draft, and 22nd in the CSS final rankings.

Zadorov is the not-so-gentle giant on the Knights’ blueline. He’s a personable kid off the ice, but certainly one that you wouldn’t want to mess with on it. Zadorov had an up-and-down year with the Knights this season as he seemed to be searching for an identity.

At 6’5 and over 230 pounds, the Moscow-born Zadorov has the physicality to dominate. And, at times, his zeal to lay out his opponents with the big hit can take him out of the play. But as the year progressed, Zadorov learned to reign in his physicality and became a much more effective stay-at-home blueliner.

He has a solid shot, but doesn’t project as a number-one blueliner. However, he should fit very nicely on a top pairing as the defensively responsible, crease-clearer for whom so many teams are looking.

 

[haseoke39]

love comments like this, come on these guys are several years away from being big time NHL players. I haven't seen many 18/19 year old defensemen manhandling NHL forwards, especially some of the studs of the game.

Ditto. These guys are both years away from being in our top 4, unless we just trade everyone.

 

[krt88]

Tyler Myers - 6-8
Jake McCabe - 6-2
Brayden McNabb - 6-5
Mark Pysyk - 6-1
Chad Ruhwedel 5-11
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc - 6-2
Rasmus Ristolainlen - 6-4
Nikita Zadorov - 6-5

not bad for the size on our backend for the major prospects

imagine if somehow in 5 years our backend could feature:
Myers, McCabe, McNabb, Pysyk, Ristolainlen and Zadorov with a seventh defensemen, you have a nice combination of players here.
It will never happen but it sounds great.

 

[ZZamboni]

Tyler Myers - 6-8
Jake McCabe - 6-2
Brayden McNabb - 6-5
Mark Pysyk - 6-1
Chad Ruhwedel 5-11
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc - 6-2
Rasmus Ristolainlen - 6-4
Nikita Zadorov - 6-5

not bad for the size on our backend for the major prospects

And adding a few veterans

Ehrhoff 6-2
Weber 6-2
Sekera 6-0
Pardy 6-4
Sulzer 6-1


The defense is far from small.

 

[1TuchAnd1NoTuch]

5 years from now:
Sekera-Myers
Pysyk-Risto
Zadarov-McNabb/McCabe

 

[Woodhouse]

NHL Central Scouting's Chris Edwards:

“Nikita is a big player who skates very well. He has very good mobility and his backwards skating is about the best in this year's draft. He will take the body and battles hard along the boards. He uses his long reach well and is an effective poke-checker."

 

[Rivet52]

Is everyone forgetting Ehrhoff? He's signed for eight more years.

 

[sonnEbunny]

I love the picks! I think he is going to go back to London next season and further develop his offensive game. A few years from now this is going to be a nasty team to play against. I'm now keeping my fingers crossed for Erne.

 

[1TuchAnd1NoTuch]

Is everyone forgetting Ehrhoff? He's signed for eight more years.

Wouldnt be surpised if he's traded to a conteneder during the rebuild but we will see

 

[krt88]

Is everyone forgetting Ehrhoff? He's signed for eight more years.

in three years he's a huge trade asset, maybe before that

 

[1972]

5 years from now:
Sekera-Myers
Pysyk-Risto
Zadarov-McNabb/McCabe

right..

 

[pyroxen]

'I love to hit people and to score goals'

Well I'm going to like this guy. Just concentrate on the hitting part.

 

[Woodhouse]

Pronman's analysis:

16. Nikita Zadorov, Defense, London (OHL)

Zadorov is an elite physical player who possesses many tools for future success. He has a 6'5", 220-pound frame, and he is unusually strong for a player his age. He uses it to his advantage, as he loves to take the body and land highlight reel hits. He skates at an above-average to plus level, which is significant for a player at his size. He can close gaps remarkably well. The rest of his game is not as impressive, but he could be a fine puck mover and positional defender. Scouting sources have divided opinion on both of those fronts. He has improved as the OHL season has progressed. He shows ability to move the puck and make good reads in his own end, but his decision making is not always perfect. He possesses some offensive upside, but it is likely more in the average range.