Dreger: Zaitsev on the Market

[Junohockeyfan]

Uh...he asked for a trade?

Prior to that Leaf fans were begging someone to take him off your hands...

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Zaitsev is an adequate 4th defenseman in the right situation.

The AHL?

 

[Yackiberg8]

Ok, keep him then. I don’t give a ****.

You really think the Leafs would retain 78% of his contract to have him play for someone else?

 

[JetsHomer]

Marleau and his 4.6m cost about a first round pick to move so Zaitsev still owed 22.5m would likely cost around 5 firsts to move

 

[Seras]

I'd rather keep him than retain tbh

 

[sparxx87]

The KHL?

Always funny when posters let their hate get in the way of being reasonable.

It’s actually more sad than funny, to be honest.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Seems like you do give a **** since you are in every Leafs thread on here.

You really think the Leafs would retain 78% of his contract to have him play for someone else?

When did I say 78% of his contract? I said they would pay 1 million a year for the next five years. Was I not clear on that? I said I had no interest in him at 4.5, but at 3.5 I might have some interest.

 

[majormajor]

Can't be the fact that he publicly asked for a trade or anything.

Or the fact that he asked for a trade after being unable to effectively contribute to the Leafs despite them not having a top 4 RHD.

 

[Syckle78]

All season we heard from leaf fans how much he sucks but now he's a legit top and worth his salary. Ok, fellas.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Or the fact that he asked for a trade after being unable to effectively contribute to the Leafs despite them not having a top 4 RHD.

He had just an ok season getting some of the absolute heaviest defensive usage in the league, but sure.

 

[FerrisRox]

Nope!! We just signed Marincin....**** me....

Did they really? Good Lord, why would they bring back Marincin?!?

 

[sparxx87]

I'm not making anything up. Zaitsev was frustrated with his role and the negative attention he was getting.

Yet you posted suggesting he couldn’t hack it. That isn’t true. That was something you made up.

He doesn’t want to be used as a shut down defenseman. Given his skill set, I don’t blame him... it’s unfortunate that the Leafs couldn’t address their blueline and actually allow him to be a second pairing d man, rather than the guy whose first over the boards to meet Patrice Bergeron.

He’s been miscast in Toronto and it’s caused a ripple effect.

 

[majormajor]

He had just an ok season getting some of the absolute heaviest defensive usage in the league, but sure.

I haven't checked the numbers for Zaitev, but usually when someone cites the "heaviest defensive usage" they don't bother to notice how many of the other D in that usage group excel at the role. Not everyone who plays hard minutes gets buried.

 

[Leaf Fans]

The KHL?

No, he would be a 1 or 2 in the KHL. He is a number 4 for Pittsburgh though and a lot of other teams.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I haven't checked the numbers for Zaitev, but usually when someone cites the "heaviest defensive usage" they don't bother to notice how many of the other D in that usage group excel at the role. Not everyone who plays hard minutes gets buried.

He and Muzzin we're our best paring in the playoffs.

 

[majormajor]

Yet you posted suggesting he couldn’t hack it. That isn’t true. That was something you made up.

He doesn’t want to be used as a shut down defenseman. Given his skill set, I don’t blame him... it’s unfortunate that the Leafs couldn’t address their blueline and actually allow him to be a second pairing d man, rather than the guy whose first over the boards to meet Patrice Bergeron.

He’s been miscast in Toronto and it’s caused a ripple effect.

He's a marginal guy if you would use him as an offensive D - teams usually have better options there. And he's a below marginal guy if you would use him as a shutdown D. That combination makes it hard to justify the risk of taking on his contract.

 

[go4hockey]

He's not a third pairing D he's a 2nd pairing D. And at this rate he isn't overpaid for much longer.

He plays 2nd pair but should be on the 3rd pair and he will be overpaid for the length of this contract. He is a risk for any team to take on.

 

[habsrule22]

Do the Leafs have any more high draft picks to send along with retention on Zaitsevs deal? Otherwise good luck!

QUESTION Can toronto trade the 2021 first round pick since its tied up in the marleau trade

 

[drw02]

No, he would be a 1 or 2 in the KHL. He is a mlnunber 4 for Pittsburgh though and a lot of other teams.

If that was the case the Leafs would have moved him long ago as their would be plenty of suitors. Reality is he's a bottom pair D

 

[Leaf Fans]

He plays 2nd pair but should be on the 3rd pair and he will be overpaid for the length of this contract. He is a risk for any team to take on.

An NHL coach disagrees with that.

 

[Leaf Fans]

If that was the case the Leafs would have moved him long ago as their would be plenty of suitors. Reality is he's a bottom pair D

No, as he hasn't been moved yet, so clearly that is not true.

 

[sparxx87]

He's a marginal guy if you would use him as an offensive D - teams usually have better options there. And he's a below marginal guy if you would use him as a shutdown D. That combination makes it hard to justify the risk of taking on his contract.

Watch Tyler Myers and Jake Gardiner make 6m+ and come back to me with ‘risky contract’.

Typically, defenseman who can log 20 hard minutes while clearly playing their best in the playoffs, aren’t overly risky. It’s not like he’s 34.

 

[K Fleur]

No, he would be a 1 or 2 in the KHL. He is a number 4 for Pittsburgh though and a lot of other teams.

To be the #4 in Pittsburgh a defenseman needs to be better than Jack Johnson and Gudbranson.

Hell of a thing to hang your hat on.

 

[Martin Skoula]

I haven't checked the numbers for Zaitev, but usually when someone cites the "heaviest defensive usage" they don't bother to notice how many of the other D in that usage group excel at the role. Not everyone who plays hard minutes gets buried.

Go read the article where he talks about his role. Other than QoC and zone starts where he got buried, he was also the leader in on-the-fly d-zone starts after the 3rd pairing would lose possession. Babcock used him to stop the bleeding and his results are pretty ok despite this, especially if you look at the results he and Muzzin put up.

Everyone talks about Tanev being an elite defensive D and a bargain at 4.5, but Zaitsev had harder usage and better shot metrics.

 

[Leaf Fans]

To be the #4 in Pittsburgh a defenseman needs to be better than Jack Johnson and Gudbranson.

Hell of a thing to hang your hat on.

And he is.