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Nikita Zaitsev

Maple Leafs Place Zaitsev On Injured Reserve

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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have placed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev on injured reserve Sunday after he suffered a lower-body injury in Friday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Kristen Shilton of TSN tweets that while there is no definitive word on how Zaitsev was injured, the defenseman did block a shot from Niklas Kronwall in the second period Friday and missed the next seven minutes of action after that play. He did return after that, however.

Zaitsev leads the team in minutes played as he has averaged 22:51 of ice time this season and should be severely missed by the team. He has four goals and six assists in 34 games this season. While there is no word on the severity of the injury, the fact he was placed on injured reserve means the earliest he can come back will on Dec. 28 against the Arizona Coyotes. He will have to miss three games.

To replace Zaitsev, the Maple Leafs recalled defenseman Martin Marincin from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. He was placed on waivers to start the season and has played with the Marlies all season despite spending the entire season last year with the Maple Leafs (he only played 25 games last season, however). Marincin has been the Marlies top defenseman all season as he has seven points in 18 games this season. The Athletic’s James Mirtle tweets that Marincin’s confidence this year on the ice has been a big reason why he has played so well with the Marlies.

The moves will shake up the defensive pairings in Toronto as it’s likely that Roman Polak will take Zaitsev’s spot on the top line with Ron Hainsey, while Connor Carrick would move into the lineup and be paired with Jake Gardiner.

Toronto Maple Leafs Have Verbal Agreement With KHL Defender

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As always, Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet is a must-read for fans around the NHL as the scribe goes into situations in Arizona and Montreal. One interesting detail though surrounds the Toronto Maple Leafs’ pursuit of Igor Ozhiganov, a 25-year old Russian defenseman playing in the KHL.

Ozhiganov had been previously linked to the Maple Leafs when Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock personally met with him in Russia in a sort of recruitment visit, similar to the one they completed when trying to sign Nikita Zaitsev a year earlier. Ozhiganov was a teammate of Zaitsev’s for several years in the KHL and is clearly the next target for the Maple Leafs as they continue to search for NHL-caliber defensemen around the world.

Friedman states that other teams have been told that Ozhiganov has a verbal agreement in place with the Maple Leafs, and points out that the team could sign him as early as April 30th. Because of his age, Ozhiganov will be signing just a one-year entry-level contract similar to Zaitsev. Earlier this summer the team also reached into the SHL for both Andreas Borgman and Calle Rosen, of which the former has immediately worked out for the team. Borgman has been a staple on the Maple Leafs third pairing, registering five points in 22 games.

For a team that is so obviously willing to spend past the NHL salary cap to give themselves every competitive advantage, scouting players around the world who may not be on every team’s radar is a new trend. Ozhiganov will just be the latest in a growing group of undrafted players on the roster, which also includes Nikita Soshnikov and Tyler Bozak.

Latest On Toronto’s Russian Recruitment

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The Toronto Maple Leafs struck gold when they signed the then 24-year old Nikita Zaitsev out of the KHL. It took just one season before Zaitsev earned a seven-year extension with the Maple Leafs, a deal that will pay him an average of $4.5MM per season. Zaitsev has quickly become one of the most reliable defenders in Toronto, and will be a part of that team for some time.

Before signing Zaitsev, the Maple Leafs’ brass went to meIgor Ozhignaovet him in person in Russia and recruit him into their program. Earlier this summer they completed a similar trip to see Igor Ozhiganov, another 25-year old defender that could sign as soon as next summer. Now, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet again mentions the team’s connection to the pending free agent. On Hockey Night in Canada last night:

He’s going to be recruited by some NHL teams, but the word out of Russia is that he is most likely going to Toronto next year.

Toronto has some of the most exciting young offensive players in the league, but have continued to struggle defensively at times. Though they’re 7-4 through the first few weeks of the season, they’ve also allowed 40 goals during those 11 games. While Zaitsev worked out quite well for them, there is no telling what Ozhiganov could become. The 6’2″ 207-lbs defenseman certainly has the talent to come to the NHL, and Zaitsev would have some inside info for his new team—the two played together for both CSKA Moscow and Sibir Novosibirsk during their KHL careers.

Eastern Notes: Toronto’s Defense, Prospects, Butcher

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have received plenty of attention this offseason with their moves, including the surprising signing of San Jose veteran Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal. Add Marleau to the young cast of offensive weapons the team already has like Auston Matthews, Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, William Nylander and Mitch Marner, the team has hopes of making a run towards a Stanley Cup Finals this season.

However, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun is quick to point out that the Maple Leafs need to emphasize defense too. He writes that many people have forgotten that the team finished 22nd in goals against last year. Every team that finished behind them didn’t make the playoffs. And when you look at the moves the team made, very little of it was to help the defense. The team did sign 36-year-old Ron Hainsey, but how much will that help? He’s 36 years old.

Simmons writes that Toronto leadership knows the importance of defense. Coach Mike Babcock, who has won a Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings, had a team that was first in goals against that year. General Manager Lou Lamoriello won his last Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003, they were also first in goals against.

However, the team’s defense should be stronger. The team boasts a number of young, developing defensemen like Nikita Zaitsev, who is just 25 years old. Morgan Rielly is only 23 years old. Jake Gardiner is 27. Martin Marincin is 25 as well, while Connor Carrick is 23. That’s a young defense and maybe a major reason why the team brought Hainsey in. However, even with a year of development, how much better can this defense be?

  • With rookie camps just a week away for many teams, Fanrag’s Craig Morgan put together a detailed list of rookies who could make an impact on the team. While it has the usual candidates like Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick and Clayton Keller, there are quite a few lesser known ones as well. Players like Washington’s Jakub Vrana, New York Islanders’ Ryan Pulock and Columbus’ Pierre-Luc Dubois are players rarely mentioned who could make an impact this year.
  • Sports Illustrated featured New Jersey Devils Will Butcher after he chose the Devils last weekend. Butcher claims he sees similarities in his game to three NHL players including Chicago’s Duncan Keith, Boston’s Torey Krug and New Jersey’s Andy Greene. ”If I was fortunate to make the big team, he would be a great mentor to me, just because he does everything,” Butcher said of Greene. ”He penalty kills, power play, all situations. He is a smart player, not necessarily the biggest guy, but he uses his abilities to defend well and play the game of hockey.”

Nikita Zaitsev Helping Maple Leafs’ Russian Recruitment

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Mike Babcock and Lou Lamoriello of the Toronto Maple Leafs spent some time in Russia recently, where they met personally for dinner with Igor Ozhiganov in an early attempt at recruiting the KHL defenseman. The pair had completed a similar visit a year prior to bringing Nikita Zaitsev over, and many believed they were attempting to do the same thing. Now Zaitsev himself has admitted to helping the Maple Leafs recruitment efforts, telling Sovsport (via Andrey Osadchenko) that he was even present at the dinner:

Igor asked my opinion. I told him he should sign with the Leafs. Actually, I was with him at one of the dinners he had with the Leafs representatives. I was even his interpreter. That’s just being a part of the Leafs organization. Not only do you play in the NHL and build your career, but you also help others.

Ozhiganov remains under contract for one more season with CSKA Moscow, but it would be hard for the 24-year old to ignore the advice of a former teammate. Zaitsev was signed to a seven-year, $31.5MM extension after just one season in Toronto, giving him some financial and personal stability as he continues his hockey career. Both players were undrafted because of the relative obscurity they played their youth hockey in, but have turned into capable professional defensemen in recent years.

The NHL and KHL don’t actually have a transfer agreement, but normally respect each other’s contracts. The Maple Leafs are being quite bold by meeting a player under contract still, but will wait to see if Ozhiganov comes over next season to give them another almost free asset. Like Zaitsev, he’d be signing just a one-year entry-level contract if he does and be able to cash in on a good performance right away.

Leafs Notes: Kovalchuk, Nylander, Van Riemsdyk

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Howard Berger praised Leafs’ management and their willingness to “think outside the box” with regards to player movement in a recent article. He revisits the Ilya Kovalchuk speculation and the article does beg the question of whether the Leafs were (or are) seriously interested. They do have a bit of cap room to play with, and are undoubtedly a team on the rise. Without taking a massive paycut, and with the New York area teams reportedly backing away, it does limit Kovalchuk’s potential landing spots were he to make an NHL return. A long-term deal would almost certainly be out of the question, but he could provide a noticeable veteran presence up front and would immediately catapult the Leafs into a dominant offensive team. With youngsters Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews all looking to build upon their immensely successful season, the grizzled Kovalchuk could serve as a stabilizing mentor.

  • Also mentioned in the article is potentiality of trading Nylander going forward. Berger cites the Chicago Blackhawks model of 3 core players – 2 forwards and 1 defenseman (Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith) – as what GM Lou Lamoriello should seek to mimic. The core of Marner, Nylander, and Matthews needs a solidifying defensive force to round out the group (so the theory goes) and Berger believes Nylander is the weakest of the three. This would certainly be “outside the box”, but there is little logic in forfeiting an explosive talent up front merely because of contract concerns, at least at this early stage. As the Pittsburgh Penguins are proving this off-season, a solid group of defenseman is enough to overcome the absence of a marquee name.
  • In spite of all the smoke that constantly surrounds the Maple Leafs in their hockey-crazed media market, management has been relatively conservative in their rebuilding approach. It seems unlikely that Toronto will make a massive transaction and will instead quietly build upon last season’s advances. Although they have been known to venture outside the league for help (Nikita Zaitsev, Leo Komarov), Kovalchuk will likely require too much money and term. If the team were to trade a forward for defensive help, it would almost certainly be a non-core piece at or near the age of 30. Komarov is likely too integral to the team’s leadership and mentality to be shipped off for anything short of an overpayment. Fellow 2018 UFAs Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk are the obvious candidates for movement, with van Reimsdyk more likely to attract attention due to his greater goal-scoring prowess.

Notable Contracts Signed During Playoffs

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The NHL’s regular season ended on April 9. Since then, there have been six notable contracts handed out by teams who either missed the playoffs or were eliminated early. We also saw the first major signing by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.

At the half-way mark of the playoffs, let’s take a look at the bigger contracts signed so far:

April 24 – The New York Islanders re-signed Dennis Seidenberg to a one-year extension worth $1.25MM. A year removed from being bought-out by the Boston Bruins, Seidenberg signed with the Islanders during training camp. The defensive defenseman scored five goals and 22 points in 73 games with the Islanders. Seidenberg will be exposed in the expansion draft, but is not the most-appealing option that will be available to the Golden Knights from the Islanders roster.

May 2 – The Toronto Maple Leafs finally confirmed the long-rumored signing of defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to a seven-year, $31.5MM extension. That’s an average of $4.5MM per season, which is fair value for a top-four defenseman on a long-term deal. The 25-year old transitioned exceptionally to the NHL, registering 36 points while leading the Maple Leafs in ice-time and playing in all 82 regular season games. The term is likely longer than most Maple Leafs’ fans wanted, but will keep the cap hit down. He will also be exempt from this spring’s expansion draft.

May 4 – The Vegas Golden Knights made their first major acquisition (sorry, Reid Duke) by signing KHL star Vadim Shipachyov to a two-year, $9MM contract. The 30-year-old center scored 76 points in 50 games this season for SKA St. Petersburg. That was good for third in the KHL and second on SKA, behind only Ilya Kovalchuk. Shipachyov is a highly-skilled offensive player, but isn’t a big body at 6’1, 190 lbs. Vegas hopes he’ll be a marquee talent for the expansion club.

May 5 – The Carolina Hurricanes traded for Chicago Blackhawks backup goaltender Scott Darling in late April, and spent less than a week negotiating a new four-year, $16.6MM contract. Darling spent three seasons with the Blackhawks, going from a little-known name to one of this summer’s most highly sought-after goaltenders. In 32 games this season, Darling went 18-5-5 with a 0.924 SV% and a 2.38 GAA. The Hurricanes still owe Eddie Lack and Cam Ward over $6MM for the upcoming season.

May 9 – The Los Angeles Kings’ new GM Rob Blake locked up one of his team’s key young players to a four-year, $15MM contract. Tanner Pearson finished third on the Kings in scoring, with a career-high 44 points. The Kings had a disappointing season, but Pearson was one of their few bright spots.

May 11 – After a 22-goal season, Richard Panik signed a two-year, $5.8MM extension with the Chicago Blackhawks this morning. Panik caught on with the Chicago Blackhawks last season and has been a regular fixture with captain Jonathan Toews on the top line. Prior to his 44-points this season, Panik’s previous career-high was 17 points. While he left some money on the table, it was unlikely that he would find a better spot than on Toews’ wing.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ben Smith To One-Year Deal

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Seconds after announcing their seven-year extension with Nikita Zaitsev, the Toronto Maple Leafs also revealed that they’ve signed forward Ben Smith to a one-year, $650K deal for next season. Smith was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Maple Leafs now have options when it comes to the expansion draft, as previously it looked like they would have had to expose Matt Martin along with Eric Fehr to fill the forward requirements. Since Smith played 40 games this season, he can be used as “fodder” to fill one of those two slots.

Smith will turn 29 this summer and has carved out an NHL existence throughout the years despite never being able to duplicate his 2013-14 season with the Blackhawks. Playing in 75 games that year, Smith scored 14 goals and 26 points while getting votes for the Lady Byng trophy. His success in the faceoff dot, combined with his perceived penalty kill acumen has earned him another contract though even the Maple Leafs rarely used him after his wrist injury this year.

In 40 games split between the Maple Leafs and Avalanche, he scored just four points and was one of the worst possession players in the league. It will be interesting to see if the new deal is a one-way contract, as the Maple Leafs likely will not have room for him on the NHL roster next season.

Nikita Zaitsev Signs Seven-Year Extension With Toronto Maple Leafs

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After being rumored for weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have officially announced a seven-year, $31.5MM extension for defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. The deal will see Zaitsev earn an equal $4.5MM per season through 2023-24, though $11MM of it comes in the form of signing bonuses. It also includes a limited no-trade clause which comes into effect in the summer of 2019, giving Zaitsev 10 teams that he can block trades to. Nikita Zaitsev

For the Maple Leafs, locking up Zaitsev was an immediate concern after his excellent rookie season. The KHL had threatened to hand him big money to return, and with the NHL’s decision to avoid the Olympics the possibility of him leaving had to be on the minds of Lou Lamoriello and company in the Maple Leafs front office. Zaitsev has made it clear from the beginning though that he wanted to stay in Toronto, and has now been rewarded with a huge deal.

The 25-year old transitioned exceptionally to the NHL, registering 36 points while leading the Maple Leafs in ice-time and playing in all 82 regular season games. A concussion sustained in the final regular season match held him out for part of the first round but he would return in game 3 and record at least 20 minutes in each of his four matches.

While seven years may seem like a few too many, it was likely needed to keep the annual salary down. The Maple Leafs were expected to keep any defenseman’s salary below that of Morgan Rielly, who last summer signed a six-year extension that sees him earn $5MM per season. Zaitsev will now slot in below that, but ahead of Jake Gardiner who has two years left at $4.05MM.

The Leafs now have six NHL defenders under contract for next season, but likely will try to upgrade that group instead of handing the bottom pairing to Alexey Marchenko and Martin Marincin. The team does have a few defensive prospects, but none of Rinat Valiev, Andrew Nielsen or Travis Dermott seem ready to take on a full-time role.

The team does have money to spend during the season, due to the expected LTIR statuses of Nathan Horton and Joffrey Lupul, but that won’t help them in the offseason. The team has to be cap-compliant as of the start of the year, and now has around $12-15MM (depending on where exactly the cap lands) to bring in a backup goaltender and come to terms on new deals with Zach Hyman and Connor Brown. After that, defense will be the first priority with players like Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner being possible (though unlikely) targets in free agency.

David Alter of The Athletic was first to provide the details of the contract. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Alexander Radulov Will Not Participate In 2017 World Championships

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Fresh off a 4-2 Series loss to the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens winger Alexander Radulov was expected to join Russia for the upcoming World Championships in Paris and Cologne. Instead, he has refused to join the tournament according to the Russian Hockey Federation website citing his lack of a contract. Radulov is set to become an unrestricted free agent once again, but has been expected to re-sign with Montreal. The article also states that Nikita Zaitsev will not participate because of a concussion he suffered at the end of the regular season. Though Zaitsev returned in the playoffs for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’ll opt-out of the tournament to focus on his health.

Radulov is set for a bit offseason after proving he was still the dynamic offensive player that left the NHL several years ago. With 54 points in the regular season and seemingly the Canadiens’ only dangerous player in the playoffs, Radulov has set himself up for a multi-year deal on the open market should he make it to July 1st. The length of the contract is up for debate, after Radulov and his agent both immediately downplayed the report that he was asking for eight years earlier this season.

Without a contract signed, the World Championships pose an incredible risk for Radulov if he were to get hurt, and the same goes for Zaitsev. The young Maple Leafs defender has been rumored to have agreed to a seven-year extension, but since it hasn’t been made official yet an injury—especially one that revolves around his brain—would be catastrophic for his future. He’ll instead work on being 100% ready for the start of training camp in a few months, where he will likely be penciled into the Leafs top-4 once again.

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