LD Nikita Zadorov (2013, 16th, BUF; traded to COL)
- Thread starter HockeySauce
- Start date
Dubi Doo
Registered User
- Aug 27, 2008
- 20,804
- 15,014
The goal was weak, but that was an epic end-to-end rush. I believe Roy and company would like to see advances in Zadorov's defensive game before calling him back up. There's no doubt his skating and offensive instincts are good, but he needs to make big strides on the defensive side of the game. That was his biggest weakness in Buffalo.
That being said, he's a 20 year old kid playing in the NHL, and 90% of the defensemen that come into the league at that age are not ready to make an immediate impact. There are very few defensemen of the same ilk as Ekblad, Risto, Jones, etc...That doesn't mean Zads won't become a great player. He simply needs more time to adjust to the NHL. He's raw at this point. It's still how good he will become. He may never become a safe-bet top-4 guy, or he may become a top-pairing beast. Time will tell.
Mcnotloilersfan
I'm here, I'm bored
OnTheBrink
Registered User
He should he is already the Oilers best Dman IMO, although that is not saying much with their blue line.
Playing in the nhl and being a nhl d-man are 2 different things. Nearly every sabre fan felt he needed some AHL time last year, however our choices were OHL or NHL
Ron C.
Registered User
Most in the Sabres' organization felt Zadorov needed at least a year in the AHL. Zadorov and his agent wanted to be in the NHL or would have "looked into" the KHL.
Nikita is a mountain of a young man, but he was not ready for the NHL. I wish him well.....but I really like Ryan O'Reilly.
Nikita is a mountain of a young man, but he was not ready for the NHL. I wish him well.....but I really like Ryan O'Reilly.
Mark Kandy
Habcoolic
He needs time, but I still think Zadorov will be at very least a good middle-pairing d-man in the NHL!
Ace
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2015
- 26,898
- 34,036
Anyone who thinks Buffalo didn't want to send him down... I mean...the kid showed up out of shape for camp and was benched in a prospects tournament. Nolan wouldn't play him until he had to...and then he played well enough on the worst team ever purposely constructed to stay in the lineup.
And let's be fair to him...he basically got no coaching at a pretty important year in his development beyond "play harder". A lot of his development issues are on him and his agent. Some is on the lack of coaching. Which...the Sabres didn't want him to be around in the first place...but he and his agent cried Khl and they couldn't send him down.
Agents and players putting themselves in charge of player development path breeds an expected result.
I think he will be fine. He loves the game. His issues are more bad habits than bad anything else. Those can be fixed with structure.
And let's be fair to him...he basically got no coaching at a pretty important year in his development beyond "play harder". A lot of his development issues are on him and his agent. Some is on the lack of coaching. Which...the Sabres didn't want him to be around in the first place...but he and his agent cried Khl and they couldn't send him down.
Agents and players putting themselves in charge of player development path breeds an expected result.
I think he will be fine. He loves the game. His issues are more bad habits than bad anything else. Those can be fixed with structure.
TalkingProuder
Registered User
Thought he threatened that over being sent back to Knights. Its pretty hard to leave if you've signed your 3 year ELC. Whatever caused it is, his development has been mismanaged.
tsujimoto74
Moderator
- May 28, 2012
- 31,176
- 24,506
The issue, iirc, was that both he and the KHL team that held his rights would need to sign a waiver OKing sending him back to London. One or both of those parties was refusing. Buffalo really didn't have any choice in the matter.
landy92mack29
Registered User
tsujimoto74
Moderator
- May 28, 2012
- 31,176
- 24,506
I'm excited to see how he does now that he's had some time to learn in the AHL. Hope they interview him at length about the call-up, because his interviews are hilarious.
The Winter Soldier
Registered User
- Apr 4, 2011
- 71,030
- 21,383
Been catching SA games to view Rantanen. Other than his obvious impressive size, Zadorov has not been that noticeable in games I have seen. He has just been okay but not great.
He can be more physical, one can argue he should be pushing for a NHL job.
He will play in the NHL, but it looks like he needs to take a step fwd to make that happen.
Peter25
Registered User
- Sep 20, 2003
- 8,491
- 75
Constable
corona fiend
- Mar 17, 2014
- 3,390
- 115
Ah yes, with about half a season in the AHL and a season in the NHL.
I can't wait to see you when Popugayev,Provorov, Abramov and the like all become very good NHL players.
Yep, totally the CHL fault, not the fact Russia hasn't produced a top pairing defenceman that didn't spend his first decade on earth under Soviet rule......
