Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] Maple Leafs sign Nikita Zaitsev to extension (7 years, $4.5m AAV)

[The List Of Jericho]

bad deal. Idk why they would do this type of commitment. Hes played just one season. And wasnt anything special to deserve a 7 year deal. He isnt amazing offensively nor defensively, hes just good to decent at both ends of the ice. Weird deal.

36 points for a rookie D is pretty good, the Leafs bought up his UFA years and likely saved themselves. Zaitsev got stability, the Leafs likely saved money long-term. Win-Win situation

 

[The List Of Jericho]

Your first problem was tuning in Don Cherry.

Not too mention Cherry praised Marincin for his defensive play which was very far from the truth.

 

[StevenB]

Here is Don Cherry on scouting and how he would draft and build a team

Just when you think you'll never see that video again, it pops up in a Zaitsev thread.

 

[Cor]

He managed to maintain a 50+ CF% playing against top competition in a new league, on a smaller ice surface, on a new continent.

He put up 36 points, and he took a long time to get his first goal, so I expect that total to increase.

This could very well never turn into an amazing deal, but it will never be a bad deal

 

[LTIR Trickery]

I think he is 25, turning 26 in October. 33 when this contract ends.

26 in the next season. 32 in his last season of the 7 year deal. (26,27,28,29,30,31,32)

Gotcha. Well, yeah there is a risk, but if he improves (and his point totals this year outside of defensive play are solid) and stays on this path, it looks like an incredible deal. At some point you either overpay in FA for a guy whos very good, or you take a risk on term with a guy like Zait and hope it pays off. I don't blame them for going this path especially if the cap keeps going up. ****, we're paying Ryan Callahan 5.8 million for god knows what, even if Zait blows thats still a manageable cost (and you can eat half and flip him somewhere else, 2m is 3rd line money you plug a kid into). I think its risk, but calculated risk.

 

[Hictor Vedman*]

I quite like this deal. Thank you Lou.

If his play dips before the 7 years is up, he just "retires" back to the KHL and it's gone.

It's hilarious that people have this kind of mindset so they feel like there's absolutely no risk involved.

 

[Liminality]

I think there's some risk but really not that much.

He's a top 4 dman right now. He's got some questions marks still about how he'll trend in the future but he's getting a fair price as of this moment. If he improves after his rookie year even a little, I think it's a great deal to have for trying to take advantage of the cap in the future.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I don't get why people are expecting him to get worse with time considering this was his first year in the NHL and on North American ice.

Usually a player gets better after their rookie season, not worse.

Obviously a bit of risk but chances are he will stay a top 4 defender and 4.5 million is below marked value.
Think how much Alzner is going to get paid in FA. Now that will be a bad contract.

 

[TMLeafs18]

I like this deal for the leafs for a couple of reasons.

1. He's right handed. Babcock doesn't like playing guys on their off hand so it's important to have two top four right handed dman. There's no way Toronto would be able to sign or trade for two without overpaying huge.

2. His advanced stats weren't great but that because he was thrown to the wolves with Rielly. Zaitsev looked great on the second pairing with Gardiner. When I watched the games during the regular season he was our best guy out there most nights.

3. You have to gamble with long term contracts like this sometimes in order to be a strong cap team (if they workout). They are going to have to pay some players huge so getting guy like Zaitsev and Kadri on long term contracts at lower cap makes sense to me.

I'm pretty biased since I loved his game from the start but i think he will only improve with more time. I hope I'm right in liking this deal.

 

[Kshahdoo]

It looks like Toronto did it right after all.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

He's been outstanding this season

 

[varano]

He's been outstanding this season

You're joking right??
He's been awful defensively. Both of the rangers power play goals were his fault entirely. He left kreider infront of the net and stood infront of him both times..... Didn't even try and get him out so freddy could see.

Same exact play both times

 

[zeke]

he ain't joking.

zaitsev is playing like a #1. most minutes and toughest qualcomp on the dcorps, dominant possession (62.9xgf% adj), and racking up 4pts in 3gms.

 

[varano]

he ain't joking.

zaitsev is playing like a #1. most minutes and toughest qualcomp on the dcorps, dominant possession (62.9xgf% adj), and racking up 4pts in 3gms.

Did you read what I said at all?

 

[zeke]

you mean when you wrote that him fronting kreider on the pk means he sucks defensively?

 

[varano]

you mean when you wrote that him fronting kreider on the pk means he sucks defensively?

I wrote that him doing nothing on the PK means he sucks defensively

 

[zeke]

which is why he's been the top dman on one of the best pks in hockey since he joined the nhl.

 

[Kshahdoo]

You're joking right??
He's been awful defensively. Both of the rangers power play goals were his fault entirely. He left kreider infront of the net and stood infront of him both times..... Didn't even try and get him out so freddy could see.

Same exact play both times

Yeah, really, both? Are you sure for 100%?

 

[King In The North]

He's playing very well. Being 25, right handed and slotted naturally in the top 4 this is worth it for the Leafs. Not to say their top pairings are perfect, but that could change with a trade.

 

[ViD]

He’s +6 now, was -18 last year

 

[TheDoldrums]

I still don't like giving him so much term.

But he does look more comfortable this year and the AAV is good for what he provides.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I still don't like giving him so much term.

But he does look more comfortable this year and the AAV is good for what he provides.

2+2 in 3 games without any PP time and +6, I think, he provides something...

 

[Phion Keneuf]

You're joking right??
He's been awful defensively. Both of the rangers power play goals were his fault entirely. He left kreider infront of the net and stood infront of him both times..... Didn't even try and get him out so freddy could see.

Same exact play both times

lol.. awful defensively? He's looked like our best overall Dman so far.

 

[LeafChief]

Did you read what I said at all?

I read it and it was terrible.

Take a lap.

 

[leafsfan1234]

This contract was great the day it was signed. Only the stats watchers criticized it after Rielly had a terrible second half and dragged Zaitsev down with him.