After making the requisite cap space in the Anthony Beauvillier trade, the Vancouver Canucks acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames on Nov. 30.
Two days later, Zadorov is expected to make his Canucks debut against his former team.
During the team’s morning skate, the Russian blueliner skated on a defense pairing with Tyler Myers, giving the team a 6-foot-6 defender and a 6-foot-8 defender on the same pairing.
About this pairing, head coach Rick Tocchet said “It’s a pain in the ass to play against and that’s what we want those guys to be. A pain in the ass.”
Like Myers, Zadorov will be a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season. Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal said he would be ‘surprised’ if the team does not extend Zadorov before July 1, and that Vancouver was at the top of the player’s list.
Milstein said he talks to Canucks mgmt almost daily.
— Taj (@taj1944) December 1, 2023
Jokes that according to Twitter he already has a office with the Canucks, so he will just walk down the hall to discuss an extension for Zadorov with Allvin and Castonguay. 🤣🤣
(Canucks Talk)
The 28-year-old is also close with Ilya Mikheyev and Andrei Kuzmenko, and together the three trained in Miami, FL.
Zadorov’s agent, Dan Milstein, also told Canucks Talk that he and the team’s management talk daily, so it would appear, at least on paper, that a contract extension is going to be next on the to-do list.
Zadorov is currently in the second year of a two-year, $7.5 million contract he signed on July 13, 2022. The veteran defenseman will likely get a raise on his next contract, but maybe not a substantial one.
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The Canucks aren’t done adding, but getting Zadorov early whilst Carson Soucy is out is going to do wonders in the short-term. Dhaliwal has also maintained that the Vancouver Canucks are still listening for Ethan Bear, and former defenseman and current Flames rearguard Chris Tanev remains an option as well. Tanev too will be a free agent at the end of this season.