Main photo by: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
It’s another edition of NHL rumours to start your work week. We’re closing in on the March 3 trade deadline and moves are starting to happen. Some general managers are looking to get trades done so the new talent can fit in with the roster. The Ottawa Senators might be ready to make a deal involving one of their defencemen. Today’s NHL rumours looks at a possible Nikita Zaitsev trade.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Senators See Way to Nikita Zaitsev Trade
Rumour: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada on a Zaitsev deal. Friedman said the team “sees a path” to a trade being made. The 31-year-old currently makes $4.5 million and his contract runs until the end of the 2023-24 season. Friedman said he heard something about the West Coast, but nothing is for certain.
HNIC 32 Thoughts w/@JeffMarek: Chychrun (could change)/Karlsson/Puljujarvi/Zaitsev/DeBrincat/Watson/Schenn/Boeser/Bertuzzi/JVR/Kravtsov — https://t.co/HyIKzy22xp
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 12, 2023
Zaitsev might be one of a number of Senators that could be out the door at the upcoming trade deadline. The Senators are seeking new ownership and there seems to be a wait-and-see approach on some of their main players. However, there will be some moves from the Senators.
What a Nikita Zaitsev Trade Means
The Moscow native has yet to score a goal this season, but he’s not known for scoring goals. Zaitsev is a big body at 6-foot, 2-inches and 195 pounds. He’s going add some muscle and toughness to the bottom part of any contending team’s blue line. However, it will be interesting to see what Ottawa is looking for in return. There has been talk that they would have to attach an asset to Zaitsev to move the contract, we will have to wait and see how that plays out.
Zaitsev has been averaging nearly 17 minutes of ice time. He’ll likely be a depth piece and not have to eat up a lot of minutes if he’s shipped to a Stanley Cup Playoff team. The Senators could also retain some salary to make the deal a little more possible, but the cap hit could be manageable. Ottawa was supposed to take the next step, but it seems the club will be in the familiar seller’s position.
