Zadorov "open-minded" with Canucks as free agency looms
Twelve days. That’s how long the Vancouver Canucks have to re-sign Nikita Zadorov before he hits the open market on July 1.
The Canucks and Zadorov are an interesting spot. There aren’t many players in the league that can bring what the 6-foot-6, 248-pound blueliner brings to the table. Zadorov became a cult hero in Vancouver, beloved by the fans after an outstanding 13-game run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But is he a long-term solution on the Canucks’ back end?
That’s the multimillion-dollar question GM Patrik Allvin needs to answer before Zadorov becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Canucks want him back, but what’s the right number?
Zadorov was third in average ice time (20:09) among Canucks defencemen in the playoffs, but during the regular season, he was No. 6 on the depth chart, playing just 17:04 per game. He has never averaged above 20 minutes per game in a season since entering the NHL more than a decade ago.
This is probably the last big-money contract the 29-year-old will get to cash in on, so most expect Zadorov to do just that.
But it appears that he really likes it in Vancouver. And the Canucks like him.
“I’ve been told that [Zadorov’s] agent Dan Milstein is willing to be patient and open-minded,” Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal said on today’s edition of Donnie and Dhali on CHEK. “The fact that Milstein is being patient with the Canucks right now tells you everything you need to know, and that is he and his client really want to come back to Vancouver.”
Time will tell just how patient and open-minded Zadorov will be. But he has given every indication that he’d like to return.
“Hockey in Canada is different… Vancouver is a different level,” Zadorov said last month. “The fans were so hungry to see the playoff hockey at home… It’s been unbelievable.”
“My family loves it here. It’s just been an awesome time. Just enjoyed every second of it, for sure.”
The Canucks are expected to make a push for Jake Guentzel in free agency. Given that Guentzel is expected to command more than $9 million a season, and Filip Hronek just re-signed for $7.25 million annually, that doesn’t leave much money for Zadorov.
The key to clearing cap space could be finding a taker for Ilya Mikheyev and his $4.75 million salary in a trade. That could prove rather difficult, given the season the 29-year-old winger just had.
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