Nikita Zadorov shares an emotional message to Vancouver in social media post

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Cooper Godin
July 2, 2024 (10:49)

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Defenceman Nikita Zadorov shared a goodbye message to the Vancouver Canucks and their fans in a post on social media on Monday afternoon following the announcement that he signed with Boston.

In his Instagram post, Zadorov took time to thank Vancouver, the Canucks and the fans for making the city such a great place to play. He said that himself and his family will cherish every moment that they had in Vancouver with the Canucks organization.

Zadorov added that it was a hard decision to leave the Vancouver Canucks, but he believes signing in Boston with the Bruins was the best move for his family going forward.

"Thank you, Vancouver!

Dear Friends,

The Canadian market can be challenging and demanding, but when you embrace it and enjoy it, it becomes the best time of your life. Your passion is what makes this city a fantastic place to play!

Life moves quickly, and sometimes hard decisions must be made. We believe this is best for our family, but we have cherished every moment of being part of the Vancouver Canucks organization.

Thank you to the ownership, management, staff, coaches, and players. A bright future lies ahead!

The Zadorov Family❤️" Zadorov said.

Zadorov, 29, agreed to terms on a six-year contract worth $30 million ($5 million AAV) with the Boston Bruins on Monday that'll keep him in Beantown until the end of the 2029-30 season. The term and money involved in Zadorov's deal were likely too much for the Canucks to afford, which led to him leaving the organization as an unrestricted free agent on Monday afternoon.

The Moscow, Russia native was dealt from Calgary to Vancouver in late-November and went on to put up 14 points (five goals, nine assists), 102 penalty minutes and was a plus-six in 54 games. Zadorov then took his game to the next level in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and at times, was arguably one of the Canucks' best defencemen. He recorded eight points in 13 games during the playoffs with Vancouver.

It's going to be interesting to see how Zadorov does in Boston and what role he's given by the team's head coach, Jim Montgomery, to start the 2024-25 campaign.