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Leafs to sign RUS D Nikita Zaitsev.....or not?

Here's a blurb about him from a HockeyBuzz article on the top undrafted free agents this year:

Nikita Zaitsev - Right Defenseman, 6'1 190lbs, 23 years old, CSKA Moskva in the KHL

57gp 12g 20a 32p +27 (league high)

Zaitsev has really turned heads this year after three seasons of solid, but unspectacular play. He was good, but not really providing enough impetus for a team to sign him. He led first place CSKA in goals and points by defensemen by a healthy margin, along with hits and blocked shots. He ended up with 11PPG's and while I'm not going to run through each one, they all look rather similar, a massive one-timer. He led the club in ice-time playing on the top-pairing for the second year in a row. He has always been viewed as a defensive defender who plays physical. This goes back to his World Junior days and his early KHL career. Since being moved to CSKA he has been allowed to explore his offensive game to great success while maintaining his defensive posture.

While he has yet to earn a point thus far in the KHL playoffs, he remains their all purpose rock on the back end playing over 20 minutes a night. Teams are always looking to add right handed defensemen and he could be an interesting guy to watch for.

Babcock loves his lefty-righty setup on defence so I'm sure he'll get a good look.
 
He's a Leaf! #Leafs

He's not a Leaf! #Leafs

That's some good "journalism" there Igor...breaking a story on twitter is more important than the accuracy of the story.
 
If we sign this guy and somehow pick up Kucherov, we'll have cornered the market on Nikitas.

Then we can build hotels on them.
 
Frank E said:
He's a Leaf! #Leafs

He's not a Leaf! #Leafs

That's some good "journalism" there Igor...breaking a story on twitter is more important than the accuracy of the story.
Click to expand...

The following players are not #Leafs

From the Anahiem Ducks:
Ryan Getzlaf
Corey Perry
....
 
Frank E said:
That's some good "journalism" there Igor...breaking a story on twitter is more important than the accuracy of the story.
Click to expand...

Well, he wasn't breaking anything he just bringing a report from a Russian news outlet to a North American audience.
 
mirtle: Leafs talks with Nikita Zaitsev, a young Russian RD, are apparently ongoing, as per @ppanyshev. http://t.co/1AsPINhnlI
 
Interesting take from MLHS. Perhaps the transfer agreement is the hold up and a deal gets done once compensation is set?

The other wrinkle to all of this is that the NHL and KHL are close to arriving at a transfer agreement, according to Elliotte Friedman. Currently such transfers operate under the mutual understanding that the KHL and NHL are to respect each other?s contracts (must either be a free agent or the contract must be voided in order to transfer). That memorandum is in place until June 30. An official transfer agreement including a compensation system could potentially change the options available in a case such as this one.

For the first time since 2004, the NHL appears to be closing in on a transfer agreement with Russia. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final that things were getting close, and it?s apparently a four-year agreement ? tying into the length of the other deals with European countries. Right now, the NHL and KHL agree to honour each other?s contracts, but this will allow a per-player fee should a jump be made.
 
Advanced stats suggest that leading the league in hits and blocks may be a negative indicator (or may mean nothing) as it suggests you rarely have the puck....
 
Welcome to the world of hockey.  In the news, the Leafs did nothing.  But that's okay because it got more attention then the Stanley Cup finals did.
 
princedpw said:
Advanced stats suggest that leading the league in hits and blocks may be a negative indicator (or may mean nothing) as it suggests you rarely have the puck....
Click to expand...

What about leading in goals and points for D?  Also it was leading CSKA, not the league according to that blurb.

Most likely in this case both mean that he got a lot of ice-time in all situations.
 
First prize is a new Cadillac, 2nd prize is a set of Steaknives, 3rd prize is ?????..your fired.  I love that scene.
 
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