Canucks GM Allvin Talks Zadorov Trade, Hints At Possible Extension

Vancouver's general manager spoke on the impact Nikita Zadorov can have on the Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin spoke to the media Sunday for the first time since acquiring defenceman Nikita Zadorov. During the scrum, he spoke not just about the impact the Russian defender can make on this year's team but also mentioned that there could be a long-term fit between the club and the player. Based on his comments, it is clear that the management team is over the moon with the acquisition and sees Zadorov as a valuable addition to the lineup.

Allvin started his media availability by explaining why the Canucks felt compelled to add to their blue line. As he explains, injuries to multiple defenders played a big factor in his decision. 

"In our last preseason game when (Guillaume) Brisebois went down, we felt like we were a bit thin on the backend there," said Allvin. Then, (Carson) Soucy got injured, and we felt we needed to address it. We had been checking around the league on what's available, and Nikita was a name that was out there in conversation earlier. We talked internally here and thought there was a fit for us at this point."

The Canucks general manager was then asked about Zadorov's fit in the lineup. Allvin mentioned that they wanted to bring in a more defensive-minded player to balance out the blue line. He also mentioned the connection with Adam Foote, which should help the defender settle nicely in Vancouver.  

"With Quinn (Hughes) and Filip Hronek being more offensive-minded, we thought we need to strengthen up a little bit there. The familiarity with Adam Foote going back to Colorado and he played with a couple of players on our team, too. We are excited to get him here."

After answering questions about how the addition will help Vancouver's coaching staff spread out minutes more evenly, Allvin was asked about a potential long-term fit with Zadorov. While he didn't say a contract was guaranteed, he did hint that if it is a fit, the pending UFA could be staying in Vancouver past this season. 

"I think this is a great opportunity for both sides. For us to get to know Nikita better and for Nikita to get to know us better. I hope we get together, and this could be long-term."

Overall, this media availability provided some great insight into the Zadorov trade. From seeing Zadorov as a potential long-term fit to his comments later in the interview about keeping the coaching staff informed and getting their opinions on players before conducting trades, it is refreshing compared to the previous management group. While the Russian defender has only played one game so far, it is clear that this is a big win for the Canucks as they bring in a player that is going to provide a massive boost to this team for the rest of the season.