Zaitsev

[HellasLEAF]

Much better tonight.

Looking healthier out there. Too bad it's over he would have made more of a difference.

Polly and Zaitsev injuries at same time was too much felt in the end.

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Take the summer. Recover.

He's gonna log a lot of minutes next year.

 

[Gabriel426]

Hope he resigns as he knows there is no better place to play hockey then TO.

 

[WilliamNylander]

So Zaitsev is apparently missing the worlds because he has a concussion?

Did the leafs seriously let him play through that? I really hope not...

 

[SprDaVE]

So Zaitsev is apparently missing the worlds because he has a concussion?

Did the leafs seriously let him play through that? I really hope not...

They didn't let him play with a concussion. Let's get real here. The initial report from the RHF was wrong and apparently since has been edited.

He might have suffered one, or at least a head injury, but then he got cleared to play since he went through the proper clearance to do so. You can recover from concussions in a timely matter.

With that said, he probably still needs to recover from it and the WCs aren't paying his salary. He still is fighting for an extension with the Leafs so it makes no sense to go straight into the WCs. So the reasoning that he has a concussion is probably more that he suffered one recently and would prefer to rest due to that.

EDIT:

 

[Menzinger]

I doubt GT concussion rumour is true Leafs seem to have pretty strict protocols for that. That said he did look like he was playing through some physical ailment during those playoff games.

That said I really hope folks don't let a couple bad games post injury carry more weight than an entire season of good play from the guy

 

[Faltorvo]

I doubt GT concussion rumour is true Leafs seem to have pretty strict protocols for that. That said he did look like he was playing through some physical ailment during those playoff games.

That said I really hope folks don't let a couple bad games post injury carry more weight than an entire season of good play from the guy[/QUOTE]

from the rookie

 

[Menzinger]

So apparently Leafs medical staff have blocked Zaitsev from playing at the Worlds.... a little sketch he was allowed to play in the playoffs. I'd prefer the team get a bit more conservative in this issue, better to sit a player longer to make sure everything's ok than to rush them back and risk further damage.

He definitely didn't look on his game once he returned...

 

[SprDaVE]

So apparently Leafs medical staff have blocked Zaitsev from playing at the Worlds.... a little sketch he was allowed to play in the playoffs. I'd prefer the team get a bit more conservative in this issue, better to sit a player longer to make sure everything's ok than to rush them back and risk further damage.

He definitely didn't look on his game once he returned...

The protocol was followed I'm pretty certain about this. No symptoms for a week or two (not sure what it is really) and missed the appropriate amount of time. Playing for the team that pays the bills is one thing but to risk it further for the National team might not be wise. So the doctors and the Leafs probably just blocked him from this and decided it would be best if he took some time off. He's like Matthews in way where he played a lot of hockey in the past calender year.

Sort of like a player could play through hairline fractures for his NHL team, or even torn ACL/MCL, but definitely wouldn't be playing for Team Sweden or Team Canada with that kind of injury.

Leafs wouldn't go against the protocol and without the clearance of a doctor. They've been pretty prudent with injuries since last season. Rielly and Marner missed extensive amount of time despite saying they were ready.

 

[1specter]

Hope all the clowns who ate up Cherry's drivel and bashed him feel good now.

 

[thewave]

Z had the after effects of a concussion clearly in our series. I think it was risky to play him but am not qualified to talk about that stuff.

 

[SEER]

My 3rd highlight-montage for... Nikita Zaitsev ...., who plays Defense Position with the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs....
and was signed as a free agent.., on May 2nd 2016..

Nikita is another of the six Toronto Maple Leafs 2016-17 Rookie players, to be on the 2016-17 Top NHL Rookies list..
He had a strong Rookie season.. and I hope he will be around here, for a very long time..

Nikita Zaitsev
Defense
Born Oct 29 1991 -- Moscow, Russia
25 yrs. ago
Height 6.02 -- Weight 195

RECENT STATS:

2013-14 CSKA Moskva - KHL
33 Games... 4 Goals... 8 Assists... 12 Points... +1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014 - KHL Playoffs (Gagarin Cup)
7 Games... 1 Goal... 0 Assists... 1 Point... -4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014-15 CSKA Moskva - KHL
57 Games... 12 Goals... 20 Assists... 32 Points... +27
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 - KHL Playoffs (Gagarin Cup)
16 Games... 1 Goal... 7 Assists... 8 Points... +6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015-16 CSKA Moskva - KHL
46 Games... 8 Goals... 18 Assists... 26 Points... +21
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 - KHL Playoffs (Gagarin Cup)
19 Games... 4 Goals... 9 Assists... 13 Points... +8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*2016-17 - Toronto Maple Leafs - NHL
*82 Games... 4 Goals... 32 Assists... 36 Points... *-22 (*misleading stat)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
*2017 NHL PLAYOFFS
4 Games... 0 Goals... 0 Assists... 0 Points... -4

This video includes: Many of Nikita's "1st" assists & all of four of his goals.., from the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs season.....
and a few other 2016-17 clips & photos...

Electric-D: *All Nikita Zaitsev Reg.-Season Goals (+ Assorted 1st Assists) - TML (HD)

​

 

[htpwn]

The protocol was followed I'm pretty certain about this. No symptoms for a week or two (not sure what it is really) and missed the appropriate amount of time. Playing for the team that pays the bills is one thing but to risk it further for the National team might not be wise. So the doctors and the Leafs probably just blocked him from this and decided it would be best if he took some time off. He's like Matthews in way where he played a lot of hockey in the past calender year.

Sort of like a player could play through hairline fractures for his NHL team, or even torn ACL/MCL, but definitely wouldn't be playing for Team Sweden or Team Canada with that kind of injury.

Leafs wouldn't go against the protocol and without the clearance of a doctor. They've been pretty prudent with injuries since last season. Rielly and Marner missed extensive amount of time despite saying they were ready.

This.

The Leafs have been very careful with injuries and especially concussions over the past two or three years (for example: Johnsson in last year's AHL playoffs, Nylander at the World Juniors, Andersen against the Blue Jackets). I'm sure procedures were followed, he was symptom free, and cleared to play. That does not mean he was 110%. I'm not going to pretend to be a doctor but I'm pretty sure there's no generic rule of when a player with a concussion is "healthy." With a broken bone, an x-ray can tell you if the break has healed. With a concussion, all you can say is that he's symptom-free. Given the best medicine for a head injury is time, it seems obvious that the best course of action is to give him just that. Why risk getting him hit again at a tournament he doesn't need to be at?

As well, he simply needs the break. You could tell the grind of the NHL season was starting to get to him. He played a grueling 20 KHL playoff games last year, then another 10 at the World Championship's, then 4 in the World Cup in September, then however many preseason games he got into, then a full 82 game slate, and then 4 NHL playoff games. We're talking north of 120 games in the last calendar year! Also something to keep in mind for those criticizing his play down the stretch. Other than Matthews, Marner, and maybe Rielly, nobody on this team needs this off-season more.

 

[ConnorTO]

well people have been jerking off over him forever

cherry ripped him apart

and nothing really amazed me in the post season

 

[Faltorvo]

This.

The Leafs have been very careful with injuries and especially concussions over the past two or three years (for example: Johnsson in last year's AHL playoffs, Nylander at the World Juniors, Andersen against the Blue Jackets). I'm sure procedures were followed, he was symptom free, and cleared to play. That does not mean he was 110%. I'm not going to pretend to be a doctor but I'm pretty sure there's no generic rule of when a player with a concussion is "healthy." With a broken bone, an x-ray can tell you if the break has healed. With a concussion, all you can say is that he's symptom-free. Given the best medicine for a head injury is time, it seems obvious that the best course of action is to give him just that. Why risk getting him hit again at a tournament he doesn't need to be at?

As well, he simply needs the break. You could tell the grind of the NHL season was starting to get to him. He played a grueling 20 KHL playoff games last year, then another 10 at the World Championship's, then 4 in the World Cup in September, then however many preseason games he got into, then a full 82 game slate, and then 4 NHL playoff games. We're talking north of 120 games in the last calendar year! Also something to keep in mind for those criticizing his play down the stretch. Other than Matthews, Marner, and maybe Rielly, nobody on this team needs this off-season more.

are we not overlooking something?

AZ was just promoted to Russia top pairing in the WC and needs a rest and had a iffy POs, he is a wanted national player now


this continuing concussion thing is good covered to safely back away from the WC team and help smooth out rebuke from this PO and most importantly, he gets some much needed rest

 

[Joey Hoser]

well people have been jerking off over him forever

cherry ripped him apart

and nothing really amazed me in the post season

IIRC most of what he said about Zaitsev could have been applied just the same to Rielly. But you know...

 

[bobermay]

I thought there was a contract agreement in place... interesting that it hasn't been signed/officialized yet.

 

[EXPECT THE LEAFS]

Hope all the clowns who ate up Cherry's drivel and bashed him feel good now.

can't even call a spade a spade around here without people thinking it's "bashing." it's called constructive criticism. the comment I made was entirely based on his play, some of which was during the season pre-injury, mostly down the stretch when the games got intenser and tigher checking, more pressure on the forecheck, etc, and had diddly squat to do with cherry... cherry to me has gone senile with half the stuff he says. good job jumping to conclusions though.

 

[1specter]

can't even call a spade a spade around here without people thinking it's "bashing." it's called constructive criticism. the comment I made was entirely based on his play, some of which was during the season pre-injury, mostly down the stretch when the games got intenser and tigher checking, more pressure on the forecheck, etc, and had diddly squat to do with cherry... cherry to me has gone senile with half the stuff he says. good job jumping to conclusions though.

there were plenty of people who only came out of the woodwork and started hating on him saying he was a terrible d-man citing his +/- (which hilariously they completely ignore for morgan rielly) after cherry's segments. there were at least 5 people i talked to in person last week who all shared these beliefs.

i have been critical of zaitsev in the playoffs and saw that outside of game 6 he was poor, and the last 10 games of the season or so he also struggled a bit. but i also recognize that he is a rookie defenseman, i don't care if he's 25, he still never played in this league before and was thrust into top pairing duty right away and handled it quite well for about 85% of the season. i expected him to burn out a long time ago, he's played the most hockey of his career over the past year, as his KHL team went to the finals, he had multiple international appearances and then was thrust into top pairing duty for the leafs.

i think he will have a good season next year and be a staple in this team's top 4 going forward.

 

[ChazzMichaelMichaels]

Huh? Why are we piling on Zaitsev? I don't know where we would have been this season without him at times. He's our only top 4 RH d-man! Those are almost impossible to find and we have a cheap 25 year old one. He literally played the most on the team, he's not even use to the NHL or small ice.

There was times in the first half of the season that he was our best d-man!

What is this thread? Why do we do this to ourselves in Leafland?

 

[Faltorvo]

there were plenty of people who only came out of the woodwork and started hating on him saying he was a terrible d-man citing his +/- (which hilariously they completely ignore for morgan rielly) after cherry's segments. there were at least 5 people i talked to in person last week who all shared these beliefs.

i have been critical of zaitsev in the playoffs and saw that outside of game 6 he was poor, and the last 10 games of the season or so he also struggled a bit. but i also recognize that he is a rookie defenseman, i don't care if he's 25, he still never played in this league before and was thrust into top pairing duty right away and handled it quite well for about 85% of the season. i expected him to burn out a long time ago, he's played the most hockey of his career over the past year, as his KHL team went to the finals, he had multiple international appearances and then was thrust into top pairing duty for the leafs.

i think he will have a good season next year and be a staple in this team's top 4 going forward.

so do i

 

[Duke Silver]

Z had the after effects of a concussion clearly in our series.

I think it was risky to play him but am not qualified to talk about that stuff.

So you're not qualified to talk about the risk of playing him, but you are qualified to state he clearly exemplified the after effects of a concussion?

Which one is it?

 

[Leaf Warrior]

If you're suffering from a *REAL* concussion you can barely walk let alone skate.

The NHL has so many concussion protocols now because sadly most complaints are FAKE concussions.

You don't give interviews the same night like Miller and complain about being hit by Lucic... instead, you're on the floor puking instead.

Zaitsev would not have been able to play with a concussion. He would be spending his nights in a dark room somewhere. Not skating and working out days before return...