Nikita Zadorov

Nikita Sergeevich Zadorov (born 16 April 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Nikita Zadorov
Born (1995-04-16) 16 April 1995
Moscow, Russia
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 235 lb (107 kg; 16 st 11 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Colorado Avalanche
Buffalo Sabres
National team  Russia
NHL Draft 16th overall, 2013
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 2012–present

Playing career

Junior

Zadorov played in the 2008 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the HC CSKA Moscow youth team.[1] He played in the top minor hockey level with his hometown team in Moscow, Krasnaya Armiya, in the 2011–12 season. Showing unique agility and skating prowess for a formidable frame, Zadorov scored 6 points in 42 games. He was selected by affiliate Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) club CSKA Moscow in the first round, fourth overall, of the 2012 KHL Junior Draft.[2] However, with an impressive performance with the junior national U17 team in Windsor, Ontario, and stating his intention to pursue a career in North America in order to be selected in the NHL draft, London Knights general manager Mark Hunter traded up with the Peterborough Petes in the 2012 CHL Import Draft to select Zadorov ninth overall.[3]

After agreeing to a contract with the Knights, Zadorov began his major junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 2012–13 season. Joining fellow Russian Vladislav Namestnikov and after adapting to the differing style and dimensions of the North American game, Zadorov assumed a top pairing role and led All-Rookie defenceman in plus–minus with +33, and finishing second in scoring with 6 goals and 25 points in 63 games.[4] Earning a roster spot in the 2013 CHL Top Prospects Game, Zadorov helped the Knights claim the OHL championship to advance to the Memorial Cup.[3] As he was selected to the OHL First-All Rookie Team, he scored the game-winner in the opening game against the Western Hockey League's Saskatoon Blades before losing in the semi-finals. Zadorov's impressive season was noted as he was selected with the Buffalo Sabres's second first-round pick, 16th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Buffalo Sabres

Zadorov attended his first rookie and NHL training camp and after his third pre-season contest he was signed by the Sabres to a three-year, entry-level contract on 26 September 2013.[5] Under the assessment of head coach Ron Rolston, he made the Sabres' opening night roster to begin the 2013–14 season.[6] Zadorov sat out the first ten games before he made his NHL debut in a 4–2 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche on 19 October.[7] In just his second game, against the Boston Bruins on 23 October, Zadorov scored on his first shot in the NHL, against Chad Johnson.[8] In so doing, he became the youngest Sabres defenceman in franchise history to achieve the feat.[9]

With the Sabres cleaning out the front office and coaching staff, and with an imperative to rely less on the youth from new head coach Ted Nolan, on 19 November, Zadorov was returned to junior with the London Knights after seven NHL games played.[10] He played out the remainder of the season with the Knights, assuming a top-pairing role in surpassing his rookie season totals in points (30) in half the number of games (36), earning a selection to the OHL Second All-Star Team.[11]

Despite a benching during the rookie pre-season tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, Zadorov rebounded to have a strong training camp to make the Sabres' opening-night roster in the 2014–15 season as a permanent addition to the blueline.[12][13] He initially only saw limited playing time as a rotational option to the third-pairing under Ted Nolan and was primarily on the team for practice only (he was not yet eligible for the American Hockey League and a tie-up involving Zadorov's KHL rights prevented him from being returned to juniors).[14] Zadorov's playing time soon increased in the season as the team's coaching staff decided to keep Zadorov regardless of his junior situation.[15][16] In developing a shut-down role through his physicality, Zadorov showed offensive glimpses, collecting his first multi-point game in scoring an overtime marker in a 4–3 victory over the Florida Panthers on 13 December 2014.[17] Zadorov also became the youngest Sabres defenceman in history to score an overtime winner.[18] Zadorov showed his youth by suffering two team suspensions over the course of his rookie campaign, after returning late from holiday over the All-Star break and later oversleeping through a team practice.[19] Despite a lowly year for the Sabres, Zadorov led the blueline in plus–minus and finished with 3 goals, 12 assists in 60 games.[20]

Colorado Avalanche

At the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Zadorov was traded as a central piece by the Sabres in a package that also included Mikhail Grigorenko, J. T. Compher and the 31st pick in the draft to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn on 26 June 2015.[21]

International play
Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Russia
World Championships
2019 Slovakia
World Junior Championships
2014 Malmö

Following a second round exit with the Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Playoffs, on 11 May 2019, Zadorov was a late inclusion to the Russian squad to make his senior international debut at the 2019 IIHF World Championships held in Bratislava, Slovakia.[22]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12Krasnaya ArmiyaMHL412466380008
2012–13London KnightsOHL6361925542024636
2013–14Buffalo SabresNHL71014—————
2013–14London KnightsOHL3611193043945912
2014–15Buffalo SabresNHL603121551—————
2015–16Colorado AvalancheNHL2202212—————
2015–16San Antonio RampageAHL5210192990—————
2016–17Colorado AvalancheNHL560101073—————
2017–18Colorado AvalancheNHL7771320103612332
2018–19Colorado AvalancheNHL707714751200024
2019–20Colorado AvalancheNHL64491365
NHL totals 356 22 53 75 383 18 1 2 3 56

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2012 Russia WHC17 5 0 3 3 8
2012 Russia IH18 5th 4 0 3 3 0
2012 Russia WJC18 5th 6 2 0 2 4
2014 Russia WJC 7 4 1 5 6
2019 Russia WC 9 0 1 1 14
Junior totals 22 6 7 13 18
Senior totals 9 0 1 1 14

Awards and honours
Award Year
OHL
First All-Rookie Team 2013 [23]
CHL Top Prospects Game 2013
Second All-Star Team 2014 [11]
International
WJC All-Star Team 2014

Personal

Zadorov married his wife Aleksandra Zadorova on June 12, 2015. Their 2 year-old daughter, Sophie, was born on April 12, 2017. The family also has a west highland white terrier named Luna.

References
  1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  2. "KHL Entry Draft 2012". Kontinental Hockey League. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  3. "Size, mobility give Zadorov "Unlimited Potential"". National Hockey League. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  4. "Nikita Zadorov prospect profile". Buffalo Sabres. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  5. "Sabres sign Zadorov to entry-level contract". Buffalo Sabres. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  6. "Sabres' Nikita Zadorov a Zdeno Chara in the making". Rantsports.com. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  7. "Zadorov shines in his season debut". Buffalo News. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  8. "Sabres lose to Bruins, off to worst start in team history". CBS Sports. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  9. "Game preview at Rangers". digitalpressbox.com. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  10. "Buffalo Sabres shake up roster, demote Zadorov to junior". fansided.com. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  11. "OHL announces 2013-14 All-Star teams". Ontario Hockey League. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  12. "Cassidy benched Zadorov". hockeybuzz.com. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  13. "Wait and see mode for Knights". lfpress.com. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  14. Hoppe, Bill (15 October 2014). "Michal Neuvirth set to start again in net, Zadorov could play soon". Buffalohockeybeat.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  15. Hoppe, Bill (17 November 2014). "Sabres plan to keep Nikita Zadorov". Buffalohockeybeat.com. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  16. "Sabres' Zadorov won't be released for World Juniors". NBC Sports. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  17. "Zadorov leads Sabres over Panthers". CBS Sports. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  18. "Nikita Zadorov player biography". Buffalo Sabres. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  19. "Sabre's Nikita Zadorov apologetic about missing meeting". buffalohockeybeat.com. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  20. "Buffalo Sabres year in review: Nikita Zadorov". sabresnoise.com. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  21. "Avalanche trade O'Reilly to Sabres". The Sports Network. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  22. "Nikita Zadorov joins the Russian National Team at the World Cup". championat.com. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  23. "Connor McDavid win OHL rookie of the year". Niagara Falls Review. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Rasmus Ristolainen		 Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick
2013		 Succeeded by
Sam Reinhart
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