The first domino to fall in what should be a stressful but entertaining offseason for the Calgary Flames began with Tyler Toffoli being traded to the New Jersey Devils for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick in this year’s draft. Say what you want about the trade, neither one is the focus here. The player who has drawn interest and could also be moved this summer is Nikita Zadorov.
Elliotte Friedman joined Flames Talk and had some interesting things to say about Zadorov and company. He said, “I think Toronto is trying to remodel their defence a bit. I can see Treliving wanting to get Zadorov in Toronto.” Friedman also mentioned that everyone is talking about big names like Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, but some people have mentioned Zadorov to him.
Treliving Likes His Flames Players
New Toronto Maple Leafs general manager, Brad Treliving, was the Flames’ GM until the start of the offseason, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to bring with him some Flames players in the midst of what seems like a fire sale.
Heading into this offseason, the Flames had seven players who were set to become unrestricted free agents (UFA) in the summer of 2024. Zadorov is one of them. There haven’t been any reports that the big defenceman has requested a trade or won’t re-sign long-term, but that shouldn’t stop Craig Conroy, GM of the Flames, from making a move in anticipation. Zadorov’s value is as high as it might ever be after a strong season. With many Flames players underperforming in a down season, the 6-foot-6 defender played every game, scoring 14 goals and 21 points, with a plus-10 rating, 80 penalty minutes, 174 hits, and 74 blocked shots.
Zadorov’s shooting percentage was higher in 2022-23 than it has ever been in his career at 10.8 percent and he scored 14 goals on 130 shots. He did take the most shots he has in a season in his career and has only topped the 100-shot mark three times in nine seasons. So, before his shooting percentage regresses to the norm somewhere just under five percent, the Flames might be able to capitalize.
Trade is a Better Deal for Maple Leafs to Add Size/Physicality
As it stands, Zadorov will be playing on the third pairing again on a contract worth $3.75 million average annual value (AAV). That’s a bit pricey despite his contributions in the physical department and on the penalty kill. But looking at past Stanley Cup winners, their defensive units have been filled with very big players. Though the Maple Leafs have many defenders over 6-foot, few players in the NHL are the size of Zadorov. Mixed into his game is the ability to skate the puck out of the zone as well, something valuable that not many players of his size will do.
The Maple Leafs have four defencemen expected to hit free agency: Justin Holl, Luke Schenn, Erik Gustafsson, and Jordie Benn. There’s a lot of uncertainty around Jake Muzzin due to injuries, and the team already traded Rasmus Sandin. Toronto already has two former Flames defenders on their team, so it’s not a stretch to think Treliving might want another one, especially one he’s probably proud of acquiring for the Flames in the first place.
Related: Flames Have Some Talented Targets In Rounds 2-7 of 2023 Draft
Without Sandin and Holl, Toronto won’t have their top two most physical defencemen returning. What is Zadorov most known for? Size and physicality. He has been a force on the back end for the Flames, is only 28, and there’s no long-term commitment on his contract.
If he is traded to the Maple Leafs, Conroy and the Flames will have to ensure they capitalize on this deal, even if it involves holding onto a bit of cap space. Once again, Toronto needs to get tougher with someone who is less of a liability. Zadorov seems like a good short-term answer, and he could save the team cap space and effort instead of going after a free agent looking for four-plus years. The path ahead for the Flames and Zadorov is uncertain, but the Maple Leafs are a team to watch if the defenceman is moved.