"Everything top-notch": Zadorov impressed with Canucks organization
Nikita Zadorov has only been with the Vancouver Canucks for just a few weeks, yet he’s already impressed with his new organization.
The 6-foot-6 defenceman was very complimentary of the team’s culture during a recent podcast appearance on Dropping the Gloves led by former NHL player John Scott.
“The organization is different. The way they take care of the players, it’s another level,” said Zadorov when asked about the dressing room in Vancouver. “The food, the staff, doctors, everything top-notch.”
The 28-year-old has played for five NHL franchises: the Canucks, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Calgary Flames, the Buffalo Sabres, and the Colorado Avalanche. Despite being well-traveled, he’s still being treated to new experiences in Vancouver.
“I never had a team that serves pregame meal until Vancouver,” he continued. “They have a bar, they have a chef upstairs, and they make a pretty good meal.”
Another aspect of the team that Zadorov has been impressed with is the relationship between the coaching staff and the players. A lot has been made this season about the Canucks deep coaching staff, which contains several former NHL players.
Between Rick Tocchet, the Sedin twins, Sergei Gonchar, and Adam Foote, the Canucks have more than 6,000 games of NHL experience on their staff.
“They’re super friendly, and it’s a great environment inside the room because the players and the coaches are connected; they’re like best friends,” Zadorov explained. “But we’re also super respectful to them and listening to them. It’s just a great chemistry between [the] coaching staff and the players.”
In fact, Zadorov credits the coaching staff, specifically head coach Tocchet, for the team’s improved play this year.
“They got a coach. They got the right coach,” said the defenceman when asked about the team’s improvement in the standings this year. “I mean, I never played for Bruce Boudreau, but I feel like it was a lot of play around things.”
Zadorov has yet to score in his eight games with the Canucks but is a +5 and has looked very comfortable. He’s often playing with Tyler Myers, and the Canucks have outscored opponents 4-2 with the pairing on at five-on-five thus far.