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Report: Nikita Zaitsev informing teams he intends to sign with Leafs

Tigger said:
I was kind of being facetious, I don't mind him as the 6-7 guy, he'll probably get dealt at the deadline so, no worries.
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That is my view of Hunwick exactly.  Solid team player, Babcock loves him and he is perfect trade bait next deadline.
 
When is this officially official?  Until I see a press release from the Leafs, or Lou saying they signed him, I can't quite accept it.
 
Zee said:
When is this officially official?  Until I see a press release from the Leafs, or Lou saying they signed him, I can't quite accept it.
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Nothing can be official until after Zaitsev's contract is up, which means after his team's season is finished. They're tied 2-2 in the final series.
 
herman said:
Zee said:
When is this officially official?  Until I see a press release from the Leafs, or Lou saying they signed him, I can't quite accept it.
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Nothing can be official until after Zaitsev's contract is up, which means after his team's season is finished. They're tied 2-2 in the final series.
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Ohhhhhhhhhhh, so we'll know by next week at the earliest.
 
Zee said:
Potvin29 said:
KHL contracts end on April 30 so after that.
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Damn, so the date of the draft lottery.  Will be an interesting day.  8)
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So, May 1st, Zaitsev is ours, if there is any truth to his desire to play hockey with our Leafs.

I will wait for the truth to come to fruition with the news that he has actually signed a contract.  Until then, it's only speculation and hype IMHO.
 
Good article on Zaitsev, documenting how well he performed in the KHL this season (especially considering his age) and what we might be able to expect from him next season: http://theleafsnation.com/2016/4/30/last-train-to-zaitsev

Without a shred of exaggeration, Zaitsev is the best combination of talent and age of any defenceman the KHL. Given that the league is the consensus number two in the world and that many of its players could easily drop into the NHL, that's particularly impressive.

The eyes will tell you instantaneously that the youngster is an NHL-ready player. At 6'2 and a little under 200 pounds, he's got a frame that can hold up to the rigors of the big leagues. He's a crafty skater who has a small ice-capable first step, he can make outlet passes with ease, and has a howitzer from the point. The Leafs are surely salivating at the fact that he is a right-handed shot; something that the defensive group is short on right now.

The numbers back up the qualitative thoughts, though. In a league where teams dress eight defencemen, Zaitsev averaged over 20 minutes per game, the highest on CSKA Moscow and something that only 54 others did over a 20+ game stretch. In this group, only five were under 25; Zaitsev was one of them.

Of those five, Zaitsev is by far the most capable offensively. In 46 games, he put up 8 goals and 18 assists, good for 26 points and an average of 1.61 points per 60 minutes of ice time (all situations). That's over double the second-best player in his age bracket, and good for 5th in the league. His shot rate (6.4 per 60) is in the top fifteen among these high-minute defencemen, and his hit and blocked shot rates show just enough frequency to show that he's not shy to sacrifice, but not enough to believe that he's chasing the puck around.
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If you think about it all the recent good news has happened on a Sunday, the Leafs Phanuef trade, the signing of Reilly and Nazem
 
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