Canucks reveal jersey number for new defenceman Zadorov
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Nikita Zadorov will be rocking a new number after switching teams.
The team announced on social media that the Russian player will be wearing 91 when he suits up for the Canucks. He wore 16 with the Calgary Flames, but that number is not available in Vancouver as it’s retired in honour of Trevor Linden.
Take note of Big Z.
Nikita Zadorov will be wearing number 9️⃣1️⃣! pic.twitter.com/kWRG7PXmCQ
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 1, 2023
Three other players have sported the number 91 for the Canucks. Jared McCann was the first in 2016. Since then, Juho Lammikko and Vitali Kravtsov have both used the number.
Zadorov is only the second defenceman in NHL history to wear 91. The first was former Canucks defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who debuted it this season with the Florida Panthers.
Zadorov was acquired yesterday by the Canucks for a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick. The big defenceman had one goal and five assists in 21 games with the Flames so far this season.
With the addition of Zadorov, the Canucks now have three defencemen who are taller than 6’5″. That makes their blueline one of the most physically imposing in the entire NHL.
The 28-year-old brings a lot more to the table than just a large frame. He’s a strong skater and showed off an ability to put the puck in the back of the net last season with 14 goals. While he has just the single marker this season, he’s still getting shots through from the point, as his shooting percentage is just 3.4%, about half his career average.
Zadorov is in the final year of his current contract, which counts for $3.75 million against the cap.
He is left-handed, the same as Quinn Hughes, Ian Cole, and Carson Soucy. That means that when everyone is healthy, which will not be for a while due to Soucy’s injury, the Canucks will need to play one of them on the right side to have all four in the lineup.
The Canucks play their next game against the Flames, Zadorov’s former team, tomorrow night. That game will take place in Calgary, and the puck drops at 7 pm PT.
Follow Channels and Categories