Zaitsev

Beaninfritz

Registered User
Aug 27, 2009
901
192
Not the case imo, guys of his calibre just shouldn't get that term. Give him the bridge and hope he continues to improve and then lock him up, if he walks so be it. It's management's job to draft and develop replacements for complimentary players.

Toronto was really hard up for a decent d-man. Zaitsev was basically the only player available that fit the bill, that also wouldn't cost any assets. The salary was decent, the term wasn't, but you'd have to think there would be other teams willing to make pitches as well, so you'd have to overpay a bit to keep him on the club. Imagine how much worse our team would be without him. 4.5x7 isn't the worst deal ever inked. Lord knows he's far more useful than Clarkson ever was.
 

PuckMagi

Registered User
Apr 13, 2013
5,459
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Toronto
The contract was a gamble. Could end up being a really good contract, a really bad contract, or somewhere in the middle.

I certainly haven't written the guy off.

The skill is there. I think he needs more size and strength.

But Holl and Liljegren will be pushing for spots soon and we may end up getting a good RHD in a trade or UFA. So he's gonna have to be pretty good to get a spot on the roster in a few years. I do see the potential for him to be a very good offensive defenseman and put up a lot of points.
 

robertmac43

Forever 43!
Mar 31, 2015
23,093
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Everyone needs to remember there were multiple out off hockey hindrances Nikita was dealing with throughout the year. I think a summer of rest and working things out will do him well and he will be closer to the guy we saw in his first season
 

PuckMagi

Registered User
Apr 13, 2013
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Toronto
Everyone needs to remember there were multiple out off hockey hindrances Nikita was dealing with throughout the year. I think a summer of rest and working things out will do him well and he will be closer to the guy we saw in his first season

Injury, flu, baby... not exactly a recipe for success.
 

robertmac43

Forever 43!
Mar 31, 2015
23,093
15,175
Injury, flu, baby... not exactly a recipe for success.

and one can only assume that all of those created a level of anxiety and lack of sleep that would nag at the guy throughout the year. Sometimes life simply comes in the way of hockey
 

SeaOfBlue

The Passion That Unites Us All
Aug 1, 2013
35,591
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Is this thread serious?

Zaitsev's poor season is still better than anything Carrick has shown.

Lock this up. This is ridiculous.
 

lifelonghockeyfan

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
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Not the case imo, guys of his calibre just shouldn't get that term. Give him the bridge and hope he continues to improve and then lock him up, if he walks so be it. It's management's job to draft and develop replacements for complimentary players.

A bridge is deal that takes a player. from RFA to RFA, because it still gives the team control on the next contract. In Zaitsev case because he was a year away from being a UFA, because of age, a bridge was not a realistic possibility. Now I"ll agree with you that maybe the Leafs were over zealous in offering a long term deal and their assessment of his NHL calibre was off base. And you comment of offering a short term too see "what he is "has merit. But to call his a shortened second contract if offered a bridge, it's really not the definition.
If the Leafs sign this this other Russian Dman, Ozzie....what his name, it will be same scenario. The Leafs will only have one year assessment before deciding if the guy should sign long term or not. And the player has the same decision.
 

lifelonghockeyfan

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
6,283
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Lake Huron
Injury, flu, baby... not exactly a recipe for success.
I agree that Zaitsev is better than he played last season. I think it would benefit Zaitsev and the Leafs if he didn't spend so much time in Russia in the off season. Spend most of the summer in Toronto getting NHL ready instead of training in Russia. Apparent he's a work out warrior, but maybe his energies could be better spend under the guidance of NHL trainers and Leaf coaching in the off season.
 

Bloomberg

Registered User
Jun 20, 2014
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I think it's tough for Zaitsev to be a defensive Dmen along side Gardiner. Dermott - Zaitsev, Gardiner - Hainsey would be better. But then Rielly needs a pairing partner
 

SHANNYPLAN

Registered User
Nov 24, 2016
5,208
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Zaitsev will be great next season.

To all those bashing him, no he didnt have the greatest season but keep in mind he was out for a long time with a broken foot/other injuries and had a new born baby at home to deal with. T

he guy had a lot going on, wouldnt write him off yet.
 

Gallagbi

Formerly Eazy_B97
Jul 5, 2005
48,490
11,107
I think it's tough for Zaitsev to be a defensive Dmen along side Gardiner. Dermott - Zaitsev, Gardiner - Hainsey would be better. But then Rielly needs a pairing partner
He was bad beside Rielly last year. He's a difficult guy to play with because he doesn't make himself a good outlet and runs around in his own zone.

His skillset is solid, but he needs to calm down and think the game better.
 
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Battle Lin

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
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a lot of guys struggled vs bos, but z was his rock solid self

was he anything special? heck no...was he bad? not even close...just played heavy minutes, played well, and played physical...just how zaitsev always plays
 

Notsince67

Papi and the Lamplighters
Apr 27, 2018
15,854
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I can't help but wonder if this year was an attempt by coaching at player development for Zaits. His shots on net are around half of last year even though he only played 25% less. His blocked shots per game went through the roof.
Marlies did the same kind of thing for Liljegren, limiting his offense to focus on defense.

Noticeably Zaitsev's giveaways went through the roof. Stretch pass attempts instead of skating the puck out? Is this a systematic failure due to coaching? I don't know but it's hard to believe that his vision got so bad so quickly. Might explain why Babcock is so forgiving.
 

TorontoTrades

Registered User
Feb 4, 2012
6,459
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Yes hes older but players tend to have a down second year, very common. I think he'll have a much better year next season.
 

Ziggdiezan

Registered User
Apr 10, 2015
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He was bad beside Rielly last year. He's a difficult guy to play with because he doesn't make himself a good outlet and runs around in his own zone.

His skillset is solid, but he needs to calm down and think the game better.
Agree with almost everything. I thought Zaitsev looked better with Rielly on the top pairing than he did this past year.

He seems to puck watch a little and not move his feet when his team has the puck.
 

daveleaf

#FIREKEEFE #MIGHTBETIMETOFIRESHANNYTOO
Mar 23, 2010
5,857
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Canada
Expose him in the next expansion draft and move on. He would probably play better with a new situation.

And for all you guys that like to trash Cherry. Don was bang on about him. Take your BS analytics to the trash, one only has to look at the play to figure it out.
 

taurine330

Registered User
Nov 28, 2015
4,295
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Stockholm
Expose him in the next expansion draft and move on. He would probably play better with a new situation.

And for all you guys that like to trash Cherry. Don was bang on about him. Take your BS analytics to the trash, one only has to look at the play to figure it out.
Not sure Cherry is bang on on anything anymore.
 

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