Would A Reunion Between The Canucks & Nikita Zadorov Make Sense?
Nikita Zadorov played a crucial role for the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Photo by Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Would A Reunion Between The Canucks & Nikita Zadorov Make Sense?Would a reunion between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins Nikita Zadorov make sense? In his latest written 32 Thoughts article, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman proposed the idea of a reunion, writing, "Weird idea that may only make sense to me: Nikita Zadorov back to Vancouver. No idea if even possible, or if anyone would want it, but he was a good fit and the Canucks miss him." With this thought in mind, here are some pros and cons when it comes to the Canucks bringing back Zadorov.
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Starting with the pros, all one has to do is look at Zadorov's playoffs last season. The 6'6" defenceman had four goals and eight points in 13 games while averaging 20:09 of ice time. Zadorov also threw 45 hits while throwing verbal shots at the city of Edmonton, saying, "They are good fans, die-hard fans. I mean, there is pretty much nothing else to do in that city except watch hockey, so I like what they are doing.".
The other positive is that by bringing back Zadorov, Vancouver would be bringing in a fan favourite who understands the style of play Rick Tocchet wants for his team. Based on the playoffs, it is clear Tocchet trusted Zadorov, especially in the Edmonton Oilers series, where he played over 21 minutes in three of the seven games. Having that familiarity could be an asset for the Canucks, especially as they continue to search for some consistency on the blue line.
The biggest con is Zadorov's current contract. The 29-year-old is signed for another five years after this season and carries a cap hit of $5 million. While the cap is expected to go up at the end of the season, Vancouver will have to sign some big contracts in the next few years, with Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko, and Quinn Hughes all set to become unrestricted free agents in the near future. As mentioned, while the cap is going up, bringing in a $5 million defenceman could create issues in the Canucks ability to improve the roster in other areas.
His current play with the Bruins is also a concern. So far this season, Zadorov has five assists in 20 games but has had trouble staying out of the box, as he leads the NHL with 46 penalty minutes. He also has 25 giveaways, compared to just two takeaways. While he is still a physical defender, as he has 55 hits, he is underperforming to start the 2024-25 season.
There also appears to be some friction between Zadorov and Vancouver. Last month, Zadorov was on the What Chaos! Podcast, and said, "kind of felt a little bit disrespectful, too." when discussing the negotiation process with the Canucks this offseason. While it is never a good idea to hold grudges in the hockey world, it appears fences would need to be mended for a reunion to happen.
Like every player the organization brings in, there will be pros and cons. It is also important to note that Friedman is not reporting anything; he is just thinking out loud based on Vancouver's needs and the way Zadorov started his career in Boston. While the idea of bringing back Zadorov is tempting, it may not be the move the Canucks need to make at this time.
