Former Maple Leafs Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev Returns to Russia, Signs Four-Year Deal With SKA St. Petersburg
Zaitsev's only two NHL contracts were signed by the Maple Leafs. He later had stints with the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks.
Nikita Zaitsev is heading back to Russia.
On Thursday, the former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman signed a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburgh of the KHL.
Zaitsev spent eight seasons in the NHL after first being signed by the Maple Leafs on a one-year, entry-level contract in 2016. After his rookie season with the Leafs where he scored four goals and added 32 assists in 82 games, the Leafs signed Zaitsev to a seven-year deal worth an average of $4.5 million per season.
While his Leafs tenure started well, he struggled in his final season with Toronto. Things came to a head when the player requested a trade from Toronto.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aCXVqIE6us[/embed]
The Leafs traded Zaitsev to the Ottawa Senators following the 2018-19 season and he ended his NHL tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks in the final two seasons where injuries limited him to just 56 games over that span.
Before joining the Leafs, Zaitsev was previously in the KHL with CSKA Moscow and Novosibirsk Sibir. The Russian presented his country twice at the World Juniors where he won gold in 2011. He also won two bronze medals representing Russia at the World Hockey Championships.
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