"Disrespectful": Canucks' Zadorov not a fan of players doing the Griddy
Vancouver Canucks’ defenceman Nikita Zadorov is not a big fan of NHL players doing the controversial “griddy” celebration after goals.
The hulking defender made that known on last night’s edition of After Hours on Hockey Night in Canada just moments after his Canucks defeated the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 5-0.
When Scott Oake asked what he thought of Detroit Red Wings defenceman Jake Walman’s celebration after defeating Vancouver in overtime earlier this year, Zadorov was blunt.
“I think that’s disrespectful to the team,” said Zadorov. “We beat them next game; that’s all that matters.”
JAKE WALMAN OVERTIME PENALTY SHOT WINNING GRIDDY 🤯🚨 pic.twitter.com/Yl2lvsTMzA
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 10, 2024
When Oake pushed to get more thoughts on what Zadorov thought about the dance, the Russian admitted he had no idea what the griddy was.
“I don’t even know where it came from, what is the griddy?” he said with a smile. “I don’t play video games.”
That might have been a surprising answer, given that Zadorov attempted to do the griddy in the next game against the Red Wings, a match the Canucks won 4-1. This was all done without the knowledge of what the dance was.
“I was just trying to show them the scoreboard and tell them there’s no time to dance right now,” explained Zadorov.
Zadorov taunting Walman with the Griddy after a whistle is incredible lmao pic.twitter.com/ido7vje6Ly
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) February 16, 2024
This type of attitude fits right in with a Canucks team that has put the NHL on notice this season. The hard-nosed Zadorov has been a good addition, and the team has overcome some recent adversity by stringing together four consecutive wins against division rivals.
At one point, it seemed like the Edmonton Oilers could be mounting a late-season push for first place in the Pacific Division, but a few wins have extended Vancouver’s lead to 12 points.
We’ll see if Zadorov’s dance moves improve as the season progresses.
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