Nikita Zadorov Discussion Part III

[Cousin Eddie]

I'm saying the numbers don't match up to that, and IMO, the eye test doesn't either (I think he had a strong 20-25 game finish last year and is in the midst of a 10-15 game streak now). When Z is on his game, he looks every part of the top pairing defender he has the talent to be. When he is off his game he is a bit of a hot mess. Look at the smoothed shots numbers in those graphs... he is a peak and valley player there still. And all players are to an extent, the top players tend to not have as aggressive of swings.

I'm not familiar with those charts But I do see the snake pattern. Are the peaking from good to awful? Or from great to decent? I really don't remember him ever being underwhelming in the second half of last season.

 

[henchman21]

The dotted line in the middle is league average, the above and below are a standard deviation away. Being outside those shows a wide variation in play. Way above is good, way below is bad. What you see with Z in 2016-17 is a player who had spells of average to below average defensive numbers (red) with below average offensive numbers (black) until about game 45 where he took off. In 17-18, you see Z has been consistently showing better offensive numbers since bottoming out with his scratches. He's been average or better since. The defense has spurts where he has issues, but are getting lessened in severity and length. The big difference the last 10 games is offense has exploded while holding average or better in defense creating a wider gap. That is what the graph is saying, and I think it matches fairly well with his play. Not perfect as I'd describe his defense as better than the numbers show... but I'd say the offense is pretty much spot on. His ceiling and floor there are wildly inconsistent there. When he is on, he has the talent and ability to make a large positive impact offensively. When he is off, he is a black hole.

 

[Pokecheque]

The dotted line in the middle is league average

So it's the Karl Alzner line then, right?

 

[geofff]

Just posted this in the Zadorov trade thread, figured it could also be useful in here. O'Reilly trade tree:

O’Reilly —> (Sobotka, Berglund, Thompson, STL1 2019 [top-10 protected], STL2 2021)
McGinn —> (3rd 2016) —> Rights to Vesey (didn’t sign)

Zadorov
Grigorenko (left as UFA to KHL)
Compher
#31 2015 —> (#39 2015 (Greer), COL2 2016 (Morrison), COL6 2017 (Smirnov))


So based on assets still remaining:

Sobotka, Berglund, Thompson, STL1 2019 [top-10 protected], STL2 2021

Zadorov, Compher, Greer, Morrison, Smirnov

 

[Avs_19]

Just posted this in the Zadorov trade thread, figured it could also be useful in here. O'Reilly trade tree:

O’Reilly —> (Sobotka, Berglund, Thompson, STL1 2019 [top-10 protected], STL2 2021)
McGinn —> (3rd 2016) —> Rights to Vesey (didn’t sign)

Zadorov
Grigorenko (left as UFA to KHL)
Compher
#31 2015 —> (#39 2015 (Greer), COL2 2016 (Morrison), COL6 2017 (Smirnov))


So based on assets still remaining:

Sobotka, Berglund, Thompson, STL1 2019 [top-10 protected], STL2 2021

Zadorov, Compher, Greer, Morrison, Smirnov

After all the talk about who won the trade between the Avs and Sabres, it ends up being the Blues who really won.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

The value was OK considering that the Avs foolishly placed themselves in a bad situation with ROR, we could have received less tbh. That being said, Buffalo won the original ROR trade as he was and still is far superior than anyone else in that deal, just because the Sabres decided to gift him to the Blues does not change that.

 

[S E P H]

So out of nowhere my source texts me saying that Zadorov is really pissed at what happened the past two games. Mentioned that Nikita is not a fan of this coach. Could just be a hot blooded statement when you think about it in the long run, but that’s how Z feels now.

Not really surprised at those comments, Zadorov always came across as a prideful though not arrogant guy who wants to be playing to me.

 

[Foppberg]

So out of nowhere my source texts me saying that Zadorov is really pissed at what happened the past two games. Mentioned that Nikita is not a fan of this coach. Could just be a hot blooded statement when you think about it in the long run, but that’s how Z feels now.

Not really surprised at those comments, Zadorov always came across as a prideful though not arrogant guy who wants to be playing to me.

 

[Avalanche]

Kinda figured this was coming

 

[Avs44]

So out of nowhere my source texts me saying that Zadorov is really pissed at what happened the past two games. Mentioned that Nikita is not a fan of this coach. Could just be a hot blooded statement when you think about it in the long run, but that’s how Z feels now.

Not really surprised at those comments, Zadorov always came across as a prideful though not arrogant guy who wants to be playing to me.

Disappointing, but as you said completely unsurprising. Think you nailed it about Z's personality. Seems like a good jovial fellow, open to instruction, but not too keen on being disciplined by being benched and scratched. Depending on how the rest of the season goes contract negotiations in the off-season could be fun.

 

[klozge]

I like Bednar a lot but if he costs us Z....

 

[Foppberg]

At one point Soda-Bednar didn't have such a great relationship (to put it mildly) so hopefully Z & Bednar can hash things out...

 

[shadow1]

Z has not been the same player he was at the end of last year, and this is the third year in a row he's off to a slow start.

I don't think he's been bad, just not nearly as good as he's shown he can be. Also, with Mark Barberio having been scratched in 13 out of 19 games this year, I think we all knew this was coming at some point.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Meh, sounds like time for Z to move along if that's the case.

 

[AvsMakar08]

I like Bednar a lot but if he costs us Z....

It cost us last nights game too.

 

[Foppberg]

Nikita Zadorov opens up on benching: 'I feel a little bit...

“I don’t want to comment on it,” Zadorov politely said when asked for his thoughts on being the subject of rumors."

“I mean, it’s not easy when you’re not playing,” Zadorov told The Athletic after practice Saturday. “I feel a little bit disrespected.”

“I want him to play and take command of the game,” Bednar said of Zadorov. “That’s be assertive, be physical, be skating and I want him to be able to move the puck efficiently. Same kind of things I want from all of our D even though they all bring a little bit of a different skill set and being able to get us clean exits out of our zone. Make sure you’re skating to check and be physical. A lot goes into it but that would be the base of his play.

 

[Avalanche]

Edit: Damn it, Fopp

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Honestly what more does he have to do to stay in the lineup?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Honestly what more does he have to do to stay in the lineup?

Play well would be a good start?

 

[Avs_19]

The healthy scratch after benching him for half a game seems excessive but I can't really disagree with Bednar's assessment. It's one of the biggest issues with EJ's game right now as well and while he didn't get benched, he did get demoted at one point. I thought Zadorov was playing better recently though so the timing is a bit strange but earlier there were times when he refused to move his feet like we know he's capable of.

 

[Pokecheque]

It cost us last nights game too.

No it didn't.

 

[UncleRisto]

Play well would be a good start?

He's already been outplayed by Mark Barberio, what more does he have to do?!

 

[AvsCOL]

I don't mind coaches being tough on younger players when they're struggling, but when you have Barberio and Nemeth both playing at a lower level than Zadorov, it's tough to understand what Bednar is trying to prove. If your argument is that he's taken a few bad penalties, well so has Barbs/Nemeth/Cole.

The last thing you need is another disgruntled player that's sick of seeing his name in trade rumors. There's absolutely no reason Zadorov can't be playing in the top-6 consistently right now.

 

[dahrougem2]

Play well would be a good start?

Outside of the 7 minutes against Washington, he had been one of the Avs better defensemen for the better part of a month.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Nikita Zadorov opens up on benching: 'I feel a little bit...

“I don’t want to comment on it,” Zadorov politely said when asked for his thoughts on being the subject of rumors."

“I mean, it’s not easy when you’re not playing,” Zadorov told The Athletic after practice Saturday. “I feel a little bit disrespected.”

“I want him to play and take command of the game,” Bednar said of Zadorov. “That’s be assertive, be physical, be skating and I want him to be able to move the puck efficiently. Same kind of things I want from all of our D even though they all bring a little bit of a different skill set and being able to get us clean exits out of our zone. Make sure you’re skating to check and be physical. A lot goes into it but that would be the base of his play.

f***in Jared. Z was doing those things he just took a penalty at a bad time and then he got benched and scratched for f***in Nemeth who embarrassed himself several times last night. I dont blame Z for being upset. I be f***in livid if I was being singled out for a mistake while others can do watever the f***.