Insider Report: “No chance” NHLer leaves for Russia

When news broke last week that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov had came to an agreement on a new deal with KHL club CSKA Moscow it was assumed that his playing days in the NHL were over. Not so fast though, says Avalanche insider and BSNDenver.com reporter Adrian Dater.

When asked about the chances of Zadorov leaving the Avs for Russia, Dater didn’t waste words in describing the likelihood:

Well, alright then. That clears that up. Now there’s just the little matter of a contract. While Avs GM Joe Sakic and the Zadorov camp are still theoretically negotiating, there’s been little news from either side in how talks have progressed. Early reports indicated that a three year, $7.5 million deal may be in the offering, but those rumors have yet to be confirmed. 

What do you think the big Russian tower is worth? The 22 year old defenseman has yet to meet his potential, totalling only four goals and 29 points in 145 NHL games, but his size and skating ability leave scouts and general managers drooling. Standing at 6’5” and weighing 220 lbs, Zadorov has the frame to be an impact NHL defenseman, now he just needs to find some consistency and play the game with a little bit more of a chip on his shoulder. Here’s hoping that he comes to an agreement and we can all see whether or not he can reach his true potential.