Friedman: Nikita Zaitsev has requested a trade from Toronto

[howkie]

Intressting, couple of yearws ago, this guy was the best UFA signing from Europe ever (for some reason Panarin did not count) when som Leaf fans bragged about this guy.... Things changes quickly in sports..

 

[Cupless44]

Hopefully this is true and we get some decent assets for him.

Decent assets? That is a big wish. The leafs will be doing very well to get someone to take that remaining contract after his play last year.

 

[TML1967]

Zaitsev + Brown + Bracco
For
Pysyk + Sceviour

- Zaitsev and Pysyk seem to have overstayed their respective welcomes
- Brown has had the higher full season vs Sceviour, Sceviour is more what the Leafs need in the bottom 9
- Bracco is coming off a pretty dominant AHL season but has no room on the right side with the Leafs anytime soon

This proposal got a decent review in another thread.

 

[RedMenace]

Just a quick glance.
He is older
Makes more
Shoots left

Only positive is the contract ends sooner.

Doesn't check enough boxes to me.

No thanks. Lateral move on paper and the Zaitsev situation is a unique one in that his deal really isn't that bad health permitting, especially in the latter years once accounting for expected cap inflation - it's just in this coming year that his contract is an inconvenience (if he plays like he did with Muzzin) because of the cap crunch.

That's fair, it wasn't meant to really be an upgrade for either team; Toronto would get a little more flexibility, and Detroit would get a (rather expensive) reclamation project.

No worries.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I wonder if the trade request is being so heavily publicized because it works to the Leafs advantage. It makes it seem like they may not want to move him when I'd guess that they'd gladly take a Mulligan on that contract.

If they were just shopping him, it might further the perception that of course you're shopping him, he's got a bad contract.

I am not suggesting that the trade request is not genuine, only that teams usually try to keep trade requests quiet as to not lose trade leverage.

I doubt it, the Gordeev trade to the Wild for a 2020 7th made big news in Toronto too! And 3 pages on this board.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Intressting, couple of yearws ago, this guy was the best UFA signing from Europe ever (for some reason Panarin did not count) when som Leaf fans bragged about this guy.... Things changes quickly in sports..

Sure, it like any teams players, some fans go all in. Just in Toronto the extreme can change very quickly with our vocal group.

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

I don't know how reliable this source is but if it is true that would be huge if we didn't need to attach assets

 

[TLEH]

I can’t imagine teams wanting Zaitsev without looking to gain additional assets but weirder things have happened in this league

 

[TheGroceryStick]

That's fair, it wasn't meant to really be an upgrade for either team; Toronto would get a little more flexibility, and Detroit would get a (rather expensive) reclamation project.

No worries.

Nope.. that's fine. It's a fine offer. Just looking at it as a trade point of view... it's really hard to accept

 

[Liferleafer]

I don't know how reliable this source is but if it is true that would be huge if we didn't need to attach assets

Pagnotta is pretty solid. He's broken a few stories in the past.

I still think a Zaitsev trade will be a lost trade for us, but maybe not as big of a loss as previously thought. Salary will need to come back i would assume...it will be a hockey trade for the other team.

 

[MyBudJT]

Pagnotta is pretty solid. He's broken a few stories in the past.

I still think a Zaitsev trade will be a lost trade for us, but maybe not as big of a loss as previously thought. Salary will need to come back i would assume...it will be a hockey trade for the other team.

I think losing a #4 RHD is a big enough loss for us. No need to take salary back unless there is some quality in the asset..

 

[Liferleafer]

I think losing a #4 RHD is a big enough loss for us. No need to take salary back unless there is some quality in the asset..

Still needs to work for the other team. They may need to move a roster player/cap to fit Z. As i say....a goid old hockey trade. Honestly, i'll take a vet RHD on the last year of his deal...

 

[hullsy47]

I can’t imagine teams wanting Zaitsev without looking to gain additional assets but weirder things have happened in this league

he outplayed many NHL caliber d men at the world championships
he might be 500 k over played

 

[seanlinden]

Pagnotta is pretty solid. He's broken a few stories in the past.

I still think a Zaitsev trade will be a lost trade for us, but maybe not as big of a loss as previously thought. Salary will need to come back i would assume...it will be a hockey trade for the other team.

Pretty much this.

Unlikely the Leafs trade Zaitsev for a 5th round pick.... the other team will most likely need to send salary back, and the Leafs will be looking for a replacement anyways.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't know how reliable this source is but if it is true that would be huge if we didn't need to attach assets

I don't think they'll need to attach assets, I think they'll just need to take salary back for him. Something like Zaitsev to Florida for Pysyk and Scevior or something like that.

 

[TLEH]

he outplayed many NHL caliber d men at the world championships
he might be 500 k over played

that’s fine but his term is the problem as well as the Leafs situation

 

[hullsy47]

that’s fine but his term is the problem as well as the Leafs situation

I agree but y can leave him unprotected for Seattle;lots of teams need some bait to protect a maybe younger cheaper depth player
Vegas woke up alot of teams

 

[Nithoniniel]

he outplayed many NHL caliber d men at the world championships
he might be 500 k over played

Why are you bypassing his 241 NHL games to look at what he did in 10 games internationally?

If Zaitsev had played for the Leafs like he did for Russia, we wouldn't consider moving him. We are doing that now because we are a cap strapped team and he's been a $2M defender with a long-term $4.5M contract across 200+ NHL games.

 

[TML1967]

I don't think they'll need to attach assets, I think they'll just need to take salary back for him. Something like Zaitsev to Florida for Pysyk and Scevior or something like that.

This makes a ton of sense. They can include Gauthier or Petan as well depending on what type of guy they want. A 6'5 C who has shown a strong defensive game, or a 5'10 W who has offensive skills but hasn't performed yet.
Edit: I think people sometimes forget that taking back 2 guys who make your team means cutting a different NHLer, so Scevior doesn't add 1.2m to the cap, just the difference between him and who he'd be replacing

 

[Junohockeyfan]

he outplayed many NHL caliber d men at the world championships
he might be 500 k over played

International play on bigger ice and a more trapping style is no comparable to NHL hockey. Zaitsev is bottom pairing in the NHL and badly overpaid. Leafs will have to ay to dump him.

And before Leafs posters protest, remember why a team who is weak on the RHD side is desperate to rid themselves of this bad contract.

 

[CraigsList]

41 pages of Zaitsev . Must be a Toronto player.

 

[Tripod]

Wish the playoffs would end so we can start seeing some movement. Bettman doesn't want the SCF to be upstaged.

 

[Boondock]

I really hope you aren't insinuating Rielly and Trouba are interchangeable.. And there is no capdump in the deal.

I am saying Trouba carries the value of top pairing dman, the fact that he’s RHD also increases his value so the closest comparable on the Leafs is in fact Reilly.
Zaitsev would be a cap dump.

 

[Nervousbreakdown]

41 pages of Zaitsev . Must be a Toronto player.

I sometimes wish other fanbases would stop being obsessed with us, OR that leafs fans could see a dumb comment and leave it alone. Either one of those options would result in these threads being like

"Zaitzev requests trade *link*"
"Leafs are gonna have to pay to move him"
"Here's someone saying their sources contradict that"
"I dont know if it is true but stranger things have happened, I guess we'll see"
"yes, should be an interesting week leading up to the draft"

*thread dies*

instead we get
"Nylander grumble grumble grumble"
*15 consecutive threads where the same thing is posted over and over on a loop*

I am saying Trouba carries the value of top pairing dman, the fact that he’s RHD also increases his value so the closest comparable on the Leafs is in fact Reilly.
Zaitsev would be a cap dump.

I get the feeling if you put Zaitzev in a different system he bounces back at least a bit and you get some decent top 4 minutes out of him. Wouldn't be the first time a player left toronto (or babcock) and did better.

 

[The Pucks]

Loui Eriksson for Zaitsev. Im not reading 41 pages to see if this has been posted so have it.