Nikita Zadorov is reportedly willing to compromise in his negotiations with the Vancouver Canucks.
News today suggests that Zadorov is willing to take a discount to stay on the West Coast.
“Zadorov has a number, and it might actually be a little less than he could get in the open market to stay in Vancouver. I don’t think Vancouver is far away from it, but I don’t think they’ve hit it,” explained Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts today.
It was reported that the defenceman already rejected the Canucks first contract offer, which carried an average annual value of $4.5 million. It’s expected that he could get up to $6 million per season on the open market.
“I don’t think they’re far, but they haven’t gotten there,” continued Friedman. “Because I think Zadorov is inclined to give them a bit of a break, they have to get there.”
“I don’t think this is impossible, but I think they have to get there because I think Zadorov knows if he gets to the open market, he’s going to be happy with what’s out there, so it’s going to be up to the Canucks to get to the number he wants.”
The onus seems to be on the Canucks to meet Zadorov at his number. The big blueliner proved his value in the playoffs, and, as Friedman mentioned, there will likely be teams lining up to acquire his services if he becomes a free agent on July 1.
Zadorov offers an extremely rare package of size, skill, and skating ability on the blue line. While he has played mostly third-pair minutes throughout his career, his strong play in the postseason suggests that he might have another level to reach.
There are still a few weeks until free agency begins, but Zadorov is far from the only contract the Canucks need to worry about. The July 1 date is coming up, and the team will need to start making decisions soon.