Nikita Zaitsev
Nikita Zaitsev | |||
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Born |
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | 29 October 1991||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shoots | Right | ||
NHL team Former teams |
Toronto Maple Leafs Sibir Novosibirsk CSKA Moscow | ||
National team |
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NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
Playing career | 2009–present |
Nikita Igorevich Zaitsev (Russian: Никита Игоревич Зайцев; born 29 October 1991) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL.
Playing career
He was a first round selection in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft, chosen 4th overall, and made his KHL debut with Sibir Novosibirsk a few months later. After four years with the Sibir organization, Zaitsev joined his hometown CSKA Moscow. It was here where he began to attract international attention. He was twice a KHL All-Star (2015, 2016) and named once to the KHL First All-Star team (2014–15).[1]
In the summer of 2015, the Toronto Maple Leafs began to garner much publicized interest in the young blueliner. Zaitsev had even toured the city and arena, while also meeting with team staff, coming away "very impressed."[2] Despite this, Zaitsev returned to Russia to honour the final year of his contract with Moscow.[2] During the subsequent season's playoffs, he led all defenceman in scoring with 13 points (tied with Sami Lepistö and Chris Lee), while helping the top seeded CSKA to the Gagarin Cup finals, where the team lost in the deciding Game 7 to Metallurg Magnitogorsk.[3]
On 2 May 2016, he signed a one-year entry level deal with the Maple Leafs.[1] He made his preseason debut with the club on 2 October, picking up a goal in a 3–2 win over the rival Montreal Canadiens. On 12 October 2016, Zaitsev made his official NHL debut in a 5–4 loss to the Ottawa Senators in the season opener. Zaitsev scored his first NHL goal on 17 December 2016, against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On May 2, 2017, Zaitsev was signed to a 7-year extension worth $31.5 million carrying an average value of $4.5 million a season.[4]
During the 2017–18 NHL season, Zaitsev was placed on injured reserve (IR) with a lower body injury on 17 December 2017. He had seven points in 18 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs before being placed on IR.[5] He returned to the lineup on 30 January 2018, for a game against the New York Islanders, after missing 17 games.[6]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
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Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2008–09 | Krylya Sovetov Moscow | RUS-2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2009–10 | Sibir Novosibirsk | KHL | 40 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | Sibir Novosibirsk | KHL | 39 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
2011–12 | Sibir Novosibirsk | KHL | 53 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Sibir Novosibirsk | KHL | 49 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 41 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | ||
2013–14 | CSKA Moscow | KHL | 33 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 27 | ||
2014–15 | CSKA Moscow | KHL | 57 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 31 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | ||
2015–16 | CSKA Moscow | KHL | 46 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 20 | 20 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 10 | ||
2016–17 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 4 | 32 | 36 | 38 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2017–18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 60 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
KHL totals | 317 | 32 | 63 | 95 | 156 | 51 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 49 | ||||
NHL totals | 142 | 9 | 40 | 49 | 69 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
International
Zaitsev with the Russian national junior ice hockey team during the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships | ||
Medal record | ||
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Representing | ||
Men's ice hockey | ||
IIHF World Championship | ||
2016 Russia | ||
IIHF World U18 Championship | ||
2009 United States | ||
IIHF World U20 Championship | ||
2011 United States |
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Russia | WJC18 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 14 | ||
2010 | Russia | WJC | 6th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
2011 | Russia | WJC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2013 | Russia | WC | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2016 | Russia | WC | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
2016 | Russia | WCH | 4th | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
2018 | Russia | WC | 6th | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | |
Junior totals | 19 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 18 | ||||
Senior totals | 25 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 4 |
Awards and honours
Award or Honour | Year | Ref |
---|---|---|
KHL | ||
2x KHL All-Star | 2015, 2016 | [1] |
KHL First All Star Team | 2015 | [1] |
Most playoff points by a defenceman (13) | 2016 | [1] |
International | ||
WC All-Star Team | 2016 | |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Maple Leafs Sign Defenceman Nikita Zaitsev". National Hockey League. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- 1 2 "Leafs summer recruit Nikita Zaitsev thriving in final year of KHL deal". Pension Plan Puppets. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ↑ "Alex Semin, Metallurg win KHL championship in thrilling Game 7". Roger's Sportsnet. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ↑ "Maple Leafs sign Nikita Zaitsev to long-term extension; Ben Smith inked - Sportsnet.ca". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
- ↑ Canadian Press (17 December 2017). "Maple Leafs recall Martin Marincin, place Nikita Zaitsev on IR". Sportsnet.ca. Sportsnet. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
- ↑ "Holl, Dermott pick up first career NHL goals as Leafs beat Islanders". tsn.ca. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
Defenceman Nikita Zaitsev was also back in Toronto's lineup after missing 17 games with a foot injury.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Nikita Zaitsev profile and statistics at KHL.ru