Despite a middling career that was only resurrected when he joined the Calgary Flames, defenseman Nikita Zadorov is set to be one of the biggest names available in free agency this off-season. The hulking blue liner impressed in 2022-23 with the Flames, and after landing on the Canucks via a mid-season trade, he excelled, making a major impact in their playoff success.
However, he may have priced himself out of Vancouver, as a new report has revealed that the two sides are not discussing a contract extension, signalling he'll be a free agent when July 1st comes around.
That bodes well for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have a major need on the blue line, while also being linked to the former Flame when he became available via a mid-season trade request.
Now, he's a free agent and can negotiate with any team he desires, and given his fit on the Maple Leafs blue line, they need to pursue him and bring him to Toronto. This play will be helped by the fact that Brad Treliving was the GM in Calgary that helped resurrect the career of Zadorov, and if they can pay him, it's a no-brainer move for both parties.
