The Fire sale in Calgary has already begun and there is a Nikita Zadorov trade in place. Calgary has traded the defenceman to the Vancouver Canucks and receives a third and fifth round draft picks. The first domino has fallen and Zadorov gets what he wants in the end.
Nikita Zadorov Trade Request Fulfilled
It was not long after their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs that is was reported about the trade request. He has been vocal about the level of play around the team and wanting to be better. The pot boiled over and he now moves on to greener pastures.
Zadorov has had stints with four teams, spending most of his career in Colorado. He has skated in 579 games and has 131 points. In the end the Zadorov trade is a win win for both sides.
What this Means
For Zadorov
Zadorov gets a fresh start. Some of his press conferences you could tell he was frustrated in Calgary and was not happy about their compete level. After one game he said, “There’s some things that we need to get working on, but I think the main thing for us is we have too many individuals playing for themselves.”
Eventually it got to the point he wanted out and he gets that. Zadorov is in the final year of his contract and is a free agent. Right now Zadorov can enjoy the fresh start and focus on the contract stuff later on in the year.
For the Team
If you are assembling a blue line, there is no better place to start than with Zadorov. He is not going to wow you with points and skill like Cale Makar or Adam Fox. Although, he did score 14 goals last year so you never know. But what he will do is be a big and physical presence on the blue line and suppress oppositions chances.
Zadorov is a big body, standing at 6’6 and weighing 248 pounds. He leads all Flames defencemen in hits with 41 and is unafraid to sacrifice the body and block a shot. This team is also getting a leader and someone who isn’t shy to holding anyone accountable. He plays the game the right way and plays hard. Zadorov is the perfect addition to the team and will be an anchor on the blue line for the rest of the year.
Main Photo: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
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