Friedman: Nikita Zaitsev has requested a trade from Toronto

[Boondock]

And the leafs look at you in the bottom of the standings and say “good luck with that” lol.

Canucks weren't even in the league the last time the Leafs won a cup. The Leafs have just pulled themselves out of a perennial basement spot in the past 2 seasons. Maybe too soon to be talking trash to a team that is going through a rebuild after a decade of winning including 2 presidents trophies and a trip to the finals.

 

[MMC]

Hope people understand him requesting a trade tanks his value. The Jackets couldn't move JJ when he requested one, and he was expiring.

 

[Fogelhund]

I posted on her account too. Said the exact same things.
I’ll quote you all when he is traded for trash and you pay for it

You do that.

 

[MardyBum]

I'm sure there will be a GM somewhere that thinks he's a solid option and will take him from TO for pennies.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

As speculated today.

Leafs may have to retain salart, or add a sweetner like a prospect or pick, or another salary will have to go the other way for a team to take Zaitsev. It seems no one wants him straight up.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

Lol .. settle down he's not that bad.

He really is that bad. The leafs are a better team with him on the bench than on the ice and he has poor possession stats, poor xGF/GA numbers, and is overpaid by 3M. Taking on a player that's overpaid by 3M for 5 years is not something must NHL teams want to do, for the record the longest salary dump trade that's ever been made is 3 years so Zaitsev being dumped would be quite the surprise.

 

[hamzarocks]

I'm sure there will be a GM somewhere that thinks he's a solid option and will take him from TO for pennies.

That's what I'm praying for. Need to get rid of him while giving up the least amount of assets possible. Need a GM to make a dumb move.

 

[dubplatepressure]

As speculated today.

Leafs may have to retain salart, or add a sweetner like a prospect or pick, or another salary will have to go the other way for a team to take Zaitsev. It seems no one wants him straight up.

Or, they may not. Speculation.

 

[Avaholic29]

Is there a leafs fan alive that can admit when something isn't going to go well? Lol zaitsev contract is pure garbage and everyone not a fan of the leafs sees that. You'll have maybe 3 or 4 teams that can even take that contract on. Goodluck this offseason. Your "best management" group is in for it

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Or, they may not. Speculation.

Well it is Bobby Mac, I trust he has spoken to some of his contacts for him to report it.

 

[sheed36]

I'm sure there will be a GM somewhere that thinks he's a solid option and will take him from TO for pennies.

There always is. On which NHL teams would Zaitsev be a top 4 RHD since I doubt any team would trade for him and his contract to play on their bottom pairing. The Habs have Weber and Petry on the right side so he wouldn't play over them so I doubt the Habs have any interest.

Anyway I hope MB learned from his Alzner **** up that he's still paying for.

 

[hamzarocks]

Maybe zaitsev gets really fed up with the situation if we can not find a deal and decides to terminate/void his deal. He loses 18 million I believe but as a f/a he can try and reestablish his value by taking a 1 year deal or he can go to the KHL and earn his money. Doubt this happens but if he really wants to leave the team than it's a possible option. Berglund left the Sabres last year after only half a season with them and terminated his contract in the process.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

Zaitsev is worth less than Lucic. Good luck trading that trash can without taking back an awful contract.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Maybe zaitsev gets really fed up with the situation if we can not find a deal and decides to terminate/void his deal. He loses 18 million I believe but as a f/a he can try and reestablish his value by taking a 1 year deal or he can go to the KHL and earn his money. Doubt this happens but if he really wants to leave the team than it's a possible option. Berglund left the Sabres last year after only half a season with them and terminated his contract in the process.

You honestly think anybody is giving up $22.5M in guaranteed money...

 

[sheed36]

Maybe zaitsev gets really fed up with the situation if we can not find a deal and decides to terminate/void his deal. He loses 18 million I believe but as a f/a he can try and reestablish his value by taking a 1 year deal or he can go to the KHL and earn his money. Doubt this happens but if he really wants to leave the team than it's a possible option. Berglund left the Sabres last year after only half a season with them and terminated his contract in the process.

He has a guaranteed 22.5 million dollars left to be paid on his Leafs contract. That's an awful lot of guaranteed money to be walking away from.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I am sure there are some gm’s looking to dump their bad contract(s) on the Leafs for Zaitsev. Almost every team has a bad contract like Z’s so i can see the interest.

 

[Just Linda]

High cap, low cost?

Ottawa bound no doubt.

Edit: I assumed it was front loaded. I was wrong.

 

[Menzinger]

He really is that bad. The leafs are a better team with him on the bench than on the ice and he has poor possession stats, poor xGF/GA numbers, and is overpaid by 3M. Taking on a player that's overpaid by 3M for 5 years is not something must NHL teams want to do, for the record the longest salary dump trade that's ever been made is 3 years so Zaitsev being dumped would be quite the surprise.

Half the GMs in the league dont care about advanced stats. They see a guy whose physical and can breakup the cycle.

 

[IceBoxHockey]

Zaitsev is worth less than Lucic. Good luck trading that trash can without taking back an awful contract.

Well that’s just blatantly false.

 

[Nucker42]

Maybe zaitsev gets really fed up with the situation if we can not find a deal and decides to terminate/void his deal. He loses 18 million I believe but as a f/a he can try and reestablish his value by taking a 1 year deal or he can go to the KHL and earn his money. Doubt this happens but if he really wants to leave the team than it's a possible option. Berglund left the Sabres last year after only half a season with them and terminated his contract in the process.

0% chance... Berglund is a totally different situation. Head wasn’t in hockey anymore.

 

[Menzinger]

Zaitsev is worth less than Lucic. Good luck trading that trash can without taking back an awful contract.

Lol no. Lucic is worse than a pylon taped to a pair of skates. Zaitsev can actually be effective when given the right usage.

 

[Nucker42]

Well that’s just blatantly false.

Lucic is probably the worst contract in he league. Will probably require a 1st to move him.

Zaitsev probably at least a 3rd....

 

[Cor]

Why do I think Florida may be the landing spot.

 

[Bounces R Way]

 

[hamzarocks]

You honestly think anybody is giving up $22.5M in guaranteed money...

Probably not. Just a possibility. Berguland walked away from quite a bit of cash as well. He walked away from 14.55 million dollars in salary(though I'm not too sure how much money he got paid for playing the games he did in 18/19 so it might be closer to 13 million). Not as much as Zaitsev loses obviously but it is an example of a player deciding the fit wasnt right and he wanted to move on. I hope it doesnt come to that and we can find a place for zaitsev to play and hopefully rebound. Otherwise if we cant move him than we hold him and let him continue to play with muzzin and deal with the cap issues through other means( kadri, lap,aj type deals).