Canucks lose Nikita Zadorov: His replacement already identified?
The Canucks lost a big piece of their defence in free agency when Nikita Zadorov took his talents to the Bruins. The physical defenceman imposed respect on the team's blueline, and it played a massive role in their playoff run.
Allvin tried to replace Nikita Zadorov in the best way he could by adding Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais. Still, there's a reason why their cap hits, even combined, don't equal the money Zadorov is getting.
There is light at the end of the tunnel; however, while they may have lost their big physical defender, the latest reports suggest his replacement may already be developing within the Canucks' pipeline.
D-Petey: Zadorov's replacement?
Dave Hall, Canucks Army Writer who covers the Abbotsford Canucks and the Canucks' prospect, had plenty of opportunities to look at the team's pipeline, and he identified D-Petey as the closest thing the team could land:
Here are Elias Pettersson's biggest hits from the 2023-24 campaign.
Big physical and not afraid to skate the puck, the 20-year-old stands tall at 6'04'' and 210 pounds; he learns to police the ice and could be a modern-day Nikita Zadorov.
Ever since the Canucks landed him with 80th overall in the 2022 Draft, he's been nothing short of a success. If he keeps on developing, he could make an impact at the NHL level very soon, hopefully as soon as 2025.
| POLL | ||
Do you believe D-Petey can be as good as Nikita Zadorov? | ||
| Yes | 265 | 48.4 % |
| No | 187 | 34.2 % |
| Better | 72 | 13.2 % |
| See Results | 23 | 4.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
