Zaitsev / Provorov - meet the long awaited Russian elite D pairing

[ViD]

I am going out on a limb here and about to make a bold prediction:

Russia might finally have an elite defensive pairing in the next few years.

Right handed Zaitsev and left handed Provorov will make an ideal pairing.

Both have very good hockey IQ, solid offensively and defensively.

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[LeafChief]

I'd be okay with this.

 

[Daximus]

I am going out on a limb here and about to make a bold prediction:

Russia might finally have an elite defensive pairing in the next few years.

Right handed Zaitsev and left handed Provorov will make an ideal pairing.

Both have very good hockey IQ, solid offensively and defensively.

Don't forget about Sergachev. And eventually likely Samorukov as well. Both Russia and Finland will likely solve their defence problems soon. With Finland getting a big offensive boost when their young offensive guns gain some more experience. The playing field is leveling out internationally for the hockey superpowers.
The Czechs even have some really interesting guys in the next few drafts.

 

[voxel]

Zaitsev is 24 already. You expect him to explode soon?

I only saw Provorov in the WHL playoffs in 2015 and thought if he's one of the top D-man in the draft then the 2015 draft is pretty weak (and it is IMO).

 

[major major]

I'm going to wait and see some of these guys play pro first.

But yes I'd agree the Russians and Finns will emerge from their D "lull". I call it a lull because they both had much better D until recently.

 

[AINEC*]

I hope you're right

 

[Ace101]

Zaitsev is 24 already. You expect him to explode soon?

I only saw Provorov in the WHL playoffs in 2015 and thought if he's one of the top D-man in the draft then the 2015 draft is pretty weak (and it is IMO).

So you rate a guy off a small sample size and then declare a draft with McDavid, Eichel, Marner, Strome, and Hanifin weak being like a year removed from it. With lots of guys from that draft preforming really well in their respective leagues.

 

[voxel]

So you rate a guy off a small sample size and then declare a draft with McDavid, Eichel, Marner, Strome, and Hanifin weak being like a year removed from it. With lots of guys from that draft preforming really well in their respective leagues.

Other than McEichel... not impressed. Don't get me on D.Strome... I've pegged him for bustville. Marner/Zacha excite me as much as Michael Dal Colle(yawn). Only time will tell if the draft will be like 2005 or not where you had Crosby and Ryan and whole lot of crap after.

 

[Ace101]

Other than McEichel... not impressed. Don't get me on D.Strome... I've pegged him for bustville. Marner/Zacha excite me as much as Michael Dal Colle(yawn). Only time will tell if the draft will be like 2005 or not where you had Crosby and Ryan and whole lot of crap after.

Yeah all that crap like Price, Kopitar, Oshie, Rask, Quick, Hornqvist, Stralman, Letang, Niskanen, Hjalmarsson, Bishop, and Yandle. May as well have stopped the draft after the top two picks.

 

[dream43]

Other than McEichel... not impressed. Don't get me on D.Strome... I've pegged him for bustville. Marner/Zacha excite me as much as Michael Dal Colle(yawn).
I realize that you cant get super excited and prospect are just prospects till they make it, but what have any of the top 10 picks done to make them appear as non impact player? Marner just won every single award he was eligible for and Strome continued at the same pace as his draft year. It seams kinda ridiculous to label everyone as non impressive after ONE YEAR.

 

[Rebels57]

I am going out on a limb here and about to make a bold prediction:

Russia might finally have an elite defensive pairing in the next few years.

Right handed Zaitsev and left handed Provorov will make an ideal pairing.

Both have very good hockey IQ, solid offensively and defensively.

This is why I was praying Zaitsev signed in Philly.

I can't wait to see them together on Team Russia, possibly as soon as 2018 if the NHL goes to the Olympics and Provorov's progression continues.

 

[Rebels57]

Zaitsev is 24 already. You expect him to explode soon?

I only saw Provorov in the WHL playoffs in 2015 and thought if he's one of the top D-man in the draft then the 2015 draft is pretty weak (and it is IMO).

WHL and CHL Defensemen of the Year. Elite in all three zones. But okay.

 

[Legion34]

I am going out on a limb here and about to make a bold prediction:

Russia might finally have an elite defensive pairing in the next few years.

Right handed Zaitsev and left handed Provorov will make an ideal pairing.

Both have very good hockey IQ, solid offensively and defensively.

With one of them being a rhd (treated like unicorns here) who picked the leafs. Don't think you will get tons of agreement here

 

[Crede777]

Other than McEichel... not impressed. Don't get me on D.Strome... I've pegged him for bustville. Marner/Zacha excite me as much as Michael Dal Colle(yawn). Only time will tell if the draft will be like 2005 or not where you had Crosby and Ryan and whole lot of crap after.

Hanifin, Werenksi, and Provorov is as strong a top-3 of defensemen as we've seen in the past few years. It's much stronger than 2016.

 

[MXD]

Sergachyov is a much more likely candidate than Zaitsev, and I don't have anything against Zaitsev, I just don't necessarily see a no1 pairing guy in NHL (let alone a no1 pairing guy on a national team), considering he's already 24 and all.
(...granted, Sergachyov's a LHS, but mostly played RD in junior)

 

[Caser]

There is also this Marchenko guy, who is even younger than Zaitsev, but is already a decent NHL player.

 

[Fantomas]

I think Sergachev is even better than Provorov. Freaking beast of a guy.

Particularly intriguing though is this year's draft class. There are three solid, but maybe not spectacular, Russian defensemen there: Samorukov, Minulin and Rubinchik. I still recall years where Russian had next to nothing to offer on defense. Dark days.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Other than McEichel... not impressed. Don't get me on D.Strome... I've pegged him for bustville. Marner/Zacha excite me as much as Michael Dal Colle(yawn). Only time will tell if the draft will be like 2005 or not where you had Crosby and Ryan and whole lot of crap after.

Does the name Carey Price ring a bell ?

What about Anze Kopitar ? Tuukka Rask ? Marc-Edouard Vlasic ? Kristopher Letang ?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

So....nobody has any faith in Orlov? Interested to hear more views from his countrymen. I have severe doubts, but fingers crossed he can put it together...

 

[Magua]

Does the name Caey Price ring a bell ?

What about Anze Kopitar ? Tuukka Rask ? Marc-Edouard Vlasic ? Kristopher Letang ?

We found Pierre McGuire

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

We found Pierre McGuire

Is there something wrong about using the name under which he was drafted ?

Tough crowd...

 

[Six Assets]

Some good D talent coming through the Russian pipeline. Good stuff.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I sure hope so because that means Zaitsev becomes a top pair D in the NHL and we NEED that

 

[redbull]

I sure hope so because that means Zaitsev becomes a top pair D in the NHL and we NEED that

Watched him live yesterday. Impressive. Rielly was also outstanding. Those two are probably top pairing on the Leafs this year. A better Leafs.

Matthews is a special player. But this board already knows that.

 

[Seras]

Zaitsev is 24 already. You expect him to explode soon?

I only saw Provorov in the WHL playoffs in 2015 and thought if he's one of the top D-man in the draft then the 2015 draft is pretty weak (and it is IMO).

omg he's already 24? Better start looking for cheap coffins.