What to do with Nikita Zaitsev....

[Spirit of 67]

You need to have replacements though before you can just move on.
Our right side is a problem.

And Z is part of it.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Okay but who takes the #1 and #2 RD spots? That is what Hainsey and Zaitsev occupy right now.

Rielly, Muzzin, and Dermott has to take three of our top four spots. As for the fourth... I don't know really. A sheltered Dermott-Liljegren pairing, with Rosén-Ozhi/Holl/Duszak on the third pairing?

 

[Zybalto]

Okay but who takes the #1 and #2 RD spots? That is what Hainsey and Zaitsev occupy right now.

A bigger issue is who is going to play their hard minutes, especially at the end of games?

Im guessing Rielly/Muzzin but that leaves the kids coming up with some pretty crazy trial by fire minutes coming into the league right behind them.

Borg/Rosen already have experience I guess but I wouldnt want them on Malkin while Rielly/Muzzin are dealing with Crosby.

 

[Trapper]

And Z is part of it.

And you have a bigger problem after that. As you work your way down. So you need to be careful.

 

[TheScandal89]

Shoulda traded him for Gudbranson while we had the chance, at least he's intimidating

 

[Cor]

Giving him PP time and inflating his production in a contract year was so ******* stupid it defys description

He's a decent bottom pair defenseman that can do a job defensively and play on the PK

That isn't worth 4.5M×7

It wasn’t stupid to put him there because he did very well in an offensive role.

But to give him a contract based on that and then IMMEDIATLEY put him in a shutdown and defensive zone start role when he didn’t do that before the contract was what was silly.

Frankly, with Gardiner and Dermott out, Zaitsev should be on the powerplay. Try and get him some offensive opportunities and raise his value a bit.

Muzzin is who replaced Gards on the PP, so I see why he isn’t, but I feel like earlier in March Zaitsev on the PP would’ve been good to show the value

 

[Jozay]

He's movable, but I think we'd need to take back another pretty bad contract. I think something in the 3-3.5 million range.

I hope Dubas can pull it off.

 

[2022 Stanley Cup]

Break his legs and put him on LTIR.

Seriously though, he's gonna have to go somehow. Who knows, maybe we're going to have to hold on to him for next season and trade him with an enticer to Seattle. At that point he has 4 years left on his contract which should be a lot more reasonable to move especially with the salary cap continuing to rise. I doubt we'd need to add a 1st but probably Zaitsev + goodish young player + mid pick would probably do it.

To trade him for this upcoming season, I have no idea how to do that.

 

[Brock Radunske]

SpaceX mission?

 

[Deebo]

Edit: Never mind, already posted

 

[Kiwi]

It wasn’t stupid to put him there because he did very well in an offensive role.

But to give him a contract based on that and then IMMEDIATLEY put him in a shutdown and defensive zone start role when he didn’t do that before the contract was what was silly.

Frankly, with Gardiner and Dermott out, Zaitsev should be on the powerplay. Try and get him some offensive opportunities and raise his value a bit.

Muzzin is who replaced Gards on the PP, so I see why he isn’t, but I feel like earlier in March Zaitsev on the PP would’ve been good to show the value

He was a 2nd pairing defenseman getting 2nd unit PP time and put up mid 30's point totals, for his usage and offensive opportunity his production isn't particularly special Cor

I'm all for trying to bump his production to get rid of the contract without having to take something unpalatable back but it's still makes me shake my head he was on the PP

Without that his contract value would have been very team friendly imo, I'd happily keep him if he was making 2M-2.5M, unfortunately that isn't the case

 

[Zybalto]

He was a 2nd pairing defenseman getting 2nd unit PP time and put up mid 30's point totals, for his usage and offensive opportunity his production isn't particularly special Cor

I'm all for trying to bump his production to get rid of the contract without having to take something unpalatable back but it's still makes me shake my head he was on the PP

Without that his contract value would have been very team friendly imo, I'd happily keep him if he was making 2M-2.5M, unfortunately that isn't the case

Yea, It's pretty obvious the toolbox isnt there to be a steady points producer in the NHL.

He is however one of the better defensive 4s in the league and all the stats bear that out.

That's what's so schizophrenic about this discussion. The crying out for a solid RH dman on the defensive side to go against the Bruins and every wants to get rid of the solid RH dman who handled the Bruins the best last year.

Hell, looking at his stats and with the lack of RHD around the league, the Leafs could straight up buy him out and he probably get a similar contract somewhere else.

 

[smitty10]

Zaitsev needs to be traded in the off season, but let's not pretend that his play is the issue here. He's a decent NHL defenseman who is paid too much. Our problems lie in Marincin and Holl having to play a regular shift on the third pairing.

 

[Mess]

Zaitsev is the Leafs ONLY defnseman that is a RHD and can play in the Leafs top 4.

Leafs are looking for more right handed shooting Dmen not less, so unless the plan is to upgrade on him of a better RHD then I don't see Dubas in any hurry to deal him away.

 

[Slyfox]

Zaitsev has all the abilities to be a great player. I actually don't mind the contract and at most to find a comparable dmen who can play top 4minutes will command a similar contract.

 

[SprDaVE]

He's movable, but I think we'd need to take back another pretty bad contract. I think something in the 3-3.5 million range.

I hope Dubas can pull it off.

He was able to trade away Martin, a healthy scratch for a large part of the 2nd half of the last season, without having to take money back.

I'm hopeful he can find a team that needs an average but overpaid defenseman back. I've seen worst players with worst contracts get traded, so it's do-able.

 

[SprDaVE]

Zaitsev has all the abilities to be a great player. I actually don't mind the contract and at most to find a comparable dmen who can play top 4minutes will command a similar contract.

That's the main problem. He's actually not producing at all like a top 4 defenseman. One of the worst shot differentials in the league with putrid offensive contributions. This isn't a very good defensive defenseman for 4.5M long-term.

You can and should find a much cheaper alternative to Zaitsev. This is where Dubas will hopefully shine.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

I can't see anyone trading for him. Anyone that thinks Zaitsev is so bad that he can't be on this roster must understand that other teams also probably feel the same way?

 

[SprDaVE]

I can't see anyone trading for him. Anyone that thinks Zaitsev is so bad that he can't be on this roster must understand that other teams also probably feel the same way?

Some GMs think differently and see different things, sometimes completely mind blowingly different. Jim Rutherford just traded for Erik Gudbranson and signed Jack Johnson to a 5 year contract.

I'm sure there's a GM out there that thinks acquiring Zaitsev for a very soft deal would be great because he's a good defensive defenseman.

 

[ACC1224]

Some GMs think differently and see different things, sometimes completely mind blowingly different. Jim Rutherford just traded for Erik Gudbranson and signed Jack Johnson to a 5 year contract.

I'm sure there's a GM out there that thinks acquiring Zaitsev for a very soft deal would be great because he's a good defensive defenseman.

Has there been any talk of the Leafs trying to move him in the past?

 

[SprDaVE]

Has there been any talk of the Leafs trying to move him in the past?

There has been some throughout the season but everyone agrees for the most part that it's an offseason kind of move.

 

[ACC1224]

There has been some throughout the season but everyone agrees for the most part that it's an offseason kind of move.

Thanks., always thought this was more a fans wish than reality.
Do you recall what Teams they spoke to?

 

[Cor]

Some GMs think differently and see different things, sometimes completely mind blowingly different. Jim Rutherford just traded for Erik Gudbranson and signed Jack Johnson to a 5 year contract.

I'm sure there's a GM out there that thinks acquiring Zaitsev for a very soft deal would be great because he's a good defensive defenseman.

Exactly. Zaitsev is a traditional GM’s guy. Babcock loves Zaitsev, and that’s proof enough.

And let’s be honest here, Zaitsev isn’t dog shit. If he was signed at 2M and only had 1 or 2 years left, his reputation is likely different.

Issue is, Lou gave him a contract based on his offensive potential he showed in year 1, and then we switched him to a pure shutdown specialist.

So is there a GM that likes his tools, or a GM that likes the offensive potential he showed previously, and willing to take on a fairly young RHD on a soft deal?

Perhaps.

I don’t think people thinking we need to include Bracco or Liljegren are even close to being in the ballpark

 

[Cor]

Thanks., always thought this was more a fans wish than reality.
Do you recall what Teams they spoke to?

Jason Botchford said Vancouver would likely be interested, as they want to add size to their right size (and that was before they traded Gudbranson).

I imagine Lou and the Isles would be interested to some extent.

 

[ACC1224]

Jason Botchford said Vancouver would likely be interested, as they want to add size to their right size (and that was before they traded Gudbranson).

I imagine Lou and the Isles would be interested to some extent.

I'm sure some teams would be interested.
I guess nothing saying the Leafs have shopped him around?