In this edition of the hotstove we share our thoughts on Nikita Zaitsev's seven-year, $4.5 million per contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Todd Cordell
I don't like committing that much term to a player that is still somewhat of an unknown but I think it's a fair price.
Zaitsev played some of the toughest minutes in the NHL last year and clearly has the trust of Mike Babcock and the coaching staff. He's a good passer, he can skate, he has an ideal NHL frame and at 25 he is in the prime of his career. He doesn't have a lot of mileage on him either -- prior to this year his regular season high in games played was 57 -- and that may help him age more gracefully as time passes.
Again, the length scares me a bit but I think the price is reasonable enough that if it goes south a little bit towards the end it won't kill the Leafs.
James Tanner I think the Zaitsev contract is a smart move for the Leafs. It's not really all that team-friendly, but Zaitsev compares well to other defensemen around the same age and salary. He was a rookie who put up 36 points and very good WAR stats, There are some concerns with Zaitsev, and age 25 players "tend" to get better, however, as a right-handed shot who can move the puck, he's pretty much always going to be able to be moved. If you're the Leafs, you easily trade the term in exchange for the sub-5-Million cap hit. Also, it gives the Leafs 3 fast, puck-moving, above average defenseman who combine to make less than $15million. It's an extremely good start for a team with tons of cap space and who are just starting their upswing.
Peter Tessier Zaitsev is a 25 year old player who has just committed to a team until he's 32. It seems long but is it really? What I find hard to understand is what the Leafs are paying for here, his offensive ability that is primarily from assists or his defensive (if they see it) ability.
7 years is a long time to commit to a player who seems to be rather mono-dimensional. In fact, it almost seems like a high-risk move especially at 4.5 million per year, something the old Leafs would have done. I'm willing to hold out on this deal for a bit if it's good or bad right now, but should it go bad soon, it will be down right ugly come the 5-7 years.
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