Zadorov or Risto?

[Doug Prishpreed]

He’s not handling it though. He’s getting buried.

He’s not “getting buried.” Talk about exaggerations. He’s the guy playing the most minutes, game in and game out, on a team with a winning record. If he gets buried, the team loses.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I watch both players nearly every game. Zadorov is a force on the ice. Every opponent is always aware of where he is when he's out there. He does tend to over rely on his reach and gets dangled once in a while. But he's become solid in terms of his positioning, angling and puck recovery in his own zone. He's an accurate, authoritative passer. He doesn't need to be offensively gifted on a team that has both Barrie and Girard at D. He does have a tremendous accurate slap shot that when he takes it in full flight, most goalies cannot handle. His attitude and team play has greatly improved. No more missed meetings or buses. He's outplaying and is more consistent than Erik Johnson right now (who is the perceived Av #1 D).

I like and appreciate Risto and am not one of his critics. But if I were to choose only one to be on my team, I'd take Zadorov w/o question.

Why does Z get less ice time than literally every other defenseman on the team? Talk about bad coaching! Forcing your best dmam to sit on the bench and never play against top lines.

 

[OkimLom]

He’s not “getting buried.” Talk about exaggerations. He’s the guy playing the most minutes, game in and game out, on a team with a winning record. If he gets buried, the team loses.

He's playing similar minutes. He's still playing at the same level he has been playing at for the past 4 years, still making the same mistakes. Yet, there has been an improvement in his teammates' play and now the team has a winning record. This team is winning more games because the improvement in his teammates, more than the play by Risto.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Most of us can agree that Risto doesnt need to play the minutes hes getting I assume but its troubling the amount of likes Waterfowlist got judging a players worth on the amount of minutes a player plays and makes me realize this board is way out to lunch on evaluation.

Ristos minutes dont mean what he is worth, if we had any solid depth or a player to replace him then he would be replaced or be playing less minutes.

The only reason he gets those minutes is because hes our 1D by clear lack of talent elsewhere on D and Dahlin is too young.

 

[1972]

If Risto could handle the puck like he did 2 years ago him easily, but now I’m not so sure. He’s physical, but his skill level has taken a massive decline over the years. He used to be silky smooth, no it’s a miracle if he doesn’t fumble a pass.

 

[Royal Thunder]

For all his faults Risto is still significantly better. Zadorov has a great physical game but there's a reason he plays such sheltered minutes.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

He's playing similar minutes. He's still playing at the same level he has been playing at for the past 4 years, still making the same mistakes. Yet, there has been an improvement in his teammates' play and now the team has a winning record. This team is winning more games because the improvement in his teammates, more than the play by Risto.

Definitely not going to disagree there. Just saying, if the guy who plays the most is getting buried, most likely the team is getting buried. Otherwise, if it's just him, the coach would just bench him and prosper.

 

[OkimLom]

For all his faults Risto is still significantly better. Zadorov has a great physical game but there's a reason he plays such sheltered minutes.

Because he has defenseman that are better than him on the roster, and the coach is able to see this and make the correct decision to play them in those roles? Risto not playing sheltered minutes says more about the quality of players on the Sabres than it does on his actual play.

 

[Royal Thunder]

Because he has defenseman that are better than him on the roster, and the coach is able to see this and make the correct decision to play them in those roles? Risto not playing sheltered minutes says more about the quality of players on the Sabres than it does on his actual play.

I mean clearly Risto is being played over his head. Regardless he is a better player than Zadorov is.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Zadorov has been doing that playing 16-19 minutes a game against relatively weak competition. (And, FWIW, the advanced stats sure don't make it look like he's doing quite the bang-up job say he is.) Guarantee that if you switched him and Risto over the last few seasons, Zads would be getting absolutely caved in, and he's never gonna be a regular 40+ point-scorer like Risto is.

My response is not based on stats. Just subjective observation. Zads game has come a long long way while Risto's game has fallen off. Neither is a plug compatible replacement for one another. Zads is a good fit with the Avalanche. I don't think Risto would be. And I agree that Zads would not be comfortable in Risto's role with the Sabres.

Dahlin changes that dynamic however. But we'll never really know how much.

Weakness of competition faced this season is not a determiner IMO. Avs have faced the Sharks, Preds, Jets, Lightning, Vegas to date. The Sabres on the other hand have only faced the Sharks and Vegas as a common top end opponent.

We'll see how Zads and Risto both look against the Bruins shortly.

It's also pretty widely acknowledged that Risto is overplayed by Housley.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Why does Z get less ice time than literally every other defenseman on the team? Talk about bad coaching! Forcing your best dmam to sit on the bench and never play against top lines.

Avs are really a 1 line team. McKinnon, etc.. That's on Sakic more than Bednar.

I would not play Zadarov with McKinnon's line either. I don't see it as "sheltering". I call it proper utilization and common sense.

I'm not part of the anti-Ristolanien cabal by any stretch of the imagination. He's clearly called on to do too much and is expected to play beyond his capabilities. He's not Drew Doughty or Duncan Keith or Hedman. Dahlin's that guy. When he's finally ready.

Zadorov is playing well and a good fit for his team. He's the Avs Jerry Korab. And my confidence in his play continues to grow. Can't say the same for Risto. Want to see him succeed but he can't the way he's being over utilized.

 

[Fezzy126]

I still have no idea what some of you are going on about with Risto...

Bogo coming back is exactly the type of load balancing that our defense needed, since that time Risto has been paired almost exclusively with McCabe (the one game McCabe missed against Calgary screwed up our pairings and Risto was drilled 9 CF to 27 CA):

Risto w/ McCabe
CF% - 53%
SF% 57%
HDCF% - 55%

He's still in the negative with overall scoring chances and goals scored, so by no means is he perfect. But he's producing these numbers with:

• Highest quality of forward competition
• Highest quantity of defensive zone starts (not percentage, just quantity)

Meanwhile Zads is getting caved in with limited minutes, how is this even a debate?

Once Dahlin gets more settled and earns the coaches trust, our defense group is going to be very good (until the next Bogo injury).

 

[dasaybz]

Zadorov can't sniff Risto's jock strap.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Zadorov can't sniff Risto's jock strap.

Did he want to? If so, that's pretty weird and I'm glad he's in Colorado now.

 

[dasaybz]

Did he want to? If so, that's pretty weird and I'm glad he's in Colorado now.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I've got more material if I dig around here a little more...

 

[Jeremy2020]

I really don't understand the people on this board with agenda's against certain players.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Ristolainen, and it's comically not even close.

 

[Royal Thunder]

Would love to see Zadorov play 28 minutes against Kucherov and co. Risto was awesome last night and showed why he's clearly the better player.

 

[sabrebuild]

Can I just say both and say Murray should have found a better option?

I would love to know what the asks were. Would they have bitten on Pysyk and a first instead of Zads and a 2nd?

That’s what I want. And it kills two future bad trades, Lehner and Kulikov! Three birds one stone!

 

[Dingo44]

31 Thoughts: Bettman has ‘no interest’ in NHL playoff expansion - Sportsnet.ca

Something to watch: Ice time for Colorado’s Nikita Zadorov (15:40 per game) is down almost four minutes from 2017–18. It is by far the lowest of his career. Zadorov came a long way last season after being a healthy scratch on opening night. He’ll be 24 in April, and is a restricted free agent. Have not heard his name in any trade rumours, and there aren’t too many like him. Let’s see where this goes.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Would love to see Zadorov play 28 minutes against Kucherov and co. Risto was awesome last night and showed why he's clearly the better player.

Yes, I have to agree with this. After watching both teams play TB, Risto is clearly a workhorse. Zads is unable to handle that much workload and that kind of speed.

Two different players in two different roles. Not plug compatible at all.

 

[sabrebuild]

31 Thoughts: Bettman has ‘no interest’ in NHL playoff expansion - Sportsnet.ca

Trade backsies??

 

[Thorton02]

For all his faults Risto is still significantly better. Zadorov has a great physical game but there's a reason he plays such sheltered minutes.

Yup. Zads wouldn't have scored that overtime goal. Risto will get better. His key development years were spent playing #1D for the worst teams in NHL history. He has the drive and talent to work on his game. Just stick with it.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Zadorov down to just over 7 minutes in the big win last night.

 

[LongWayDown37]

There is no question it’s Risto.