NIKITA ZADOROV - D - LONDON KNIGHTS, OHL (CANADA)
ISS OVERALL RANKING: 7th - CSS RANK (N.A. ONLY): 22nd
HT: 6'7" - WT: 227
DOB: 4/16/95 BIRTHPLACE: RUSSIA
SHOOTS: L
STATISTICS:
Things scouts and other professional/amateur observers said about him:
PRO:
"2-way D-man w/offensive upside. Raw potential - massive frame, defensive instincts & toughness." - ISS Scouting
"Nikita is a big man who skates very well," Central Scouting's Chris Edwards told NHL.com. "He has very good mobility and his backwards skating is about the best in this year's draft. He will take the body and battles hard along the boards. He uses his long reach well and is an effective pokechecker." - Central Scouting's Chris Edwards
"Cleans players out along the walls and in open ice without really exerting himself, he just… skates through them. As for his skating, he moves really well for a man his size. His foot speed isn’t elite, but he’s coordinated, fluid and well balanced. I’ve yet to see him get beat wide, and he’s quick enough to stay with his man. As you would expect he has tremendous reach as well, which allows him to cover even more ground, and he knows how to get his stick in passing lanes. He’s tough to play against and has been a smothering defensive presence in the games I’ve watched."
"When I saw him at the very beginning of the season, he was content to stay home and mind his own end, but when I saw him play last week (late October), he was joining the rush and sliding down through the slot looking for quick passes and scoring chances. I was also impressed with his outlet passing game. On several occasions he had to go back for dump-ins and consistently made good first passes while under pursuit. He’d make the short play if it was there, and when it wasn’t, he didn’t hesitate to zip a hard pass out to a teammate in the neutral zone." - Bill Ladd
"One great thing about Zadorov is that he has incredible defensive acumen. By February 2013, he had already garnered a plus/minus ranking of +31, tied for third best in the entire OHL. He has been physical, using his size not much to intimidate other players but more to assert himself on the ice" - Margann Laurissa
"Four-direction skater with all-around abilities to excel as a pro. Powerfully strong prospect wth great size, wheels, balance, and burst. Plays tough and is a player that gets noticed by the opposition because he goes after them. Uses his balance and natural talent to get in strong hits all over the ice and still maintains position and keeps focused on the game. Plays nasty, and can beat you on O or D. " - Bill Placzek
"...offensive decision making has improved in leaps and bounds – and he is slowly becoming more of a force in transition .. logs the puck up ice with authority, exploiting an expansive frame as well as massive strides that simply swallow up ice .. partnered early in the season with Olli Maatta, which provided more security to venture into the offensive zone knowing his defensive duties were covered, however recently has been paired with deadline acquisition Justin Sefton .. jumps into the rush with more regularity and is taking an extra second with the puck to evaluate his options .. his skating and athleticism allow him to recover rapidly .. surprisingly smooth and agile for such a tall man – exploits quick pivots in order to transition from offence to defence in an instant " - David Burstyn
Offensively, Zadorov has improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the season. Early in the year he was strictly a stay at home type, but is now using his good mobility to allow himself to join the rush and then recover quickly. In the offensive end he has a very hard and heavy slapshot, and can let it fly from the point. He also has decent vision and passing skills from the back end, but again struggles at times when under heavy pressure. His stickhandling and wrist shot are also decent. This is another area where Zadorov is highly skilled, but again very raw and will need some time to develop. - Ben Kerr
"When it comes to Stylistic comparisons, Zadorov reminds us of a bigger version of Niklas Kronwall. The sky is the limit for Zadorov in terms of ceiling, but there are some big questions as to whether or not he can reach that potential. He has all the skills, but his game is just not as polished or as NHL ready as the four defencemen we have ranked above him. Zadorov could be a real boom of a pick though, as he has a unique mixture of size, mobility, and mean streak that is hard to find, and if properly nurtured could make him an elite NHL blueliner." - Ben Kerr
Things scouts and other professional/amateur observers said about him:
CON:
"his defensive play is an area that continues to be a work in progress however .. suffers sudden and complete lapses in judgement at random times .. rarely ever awarded any penalty-killing time as his positioning and shift-to-shift’ decision making continues to impede his development .. doesn’t always read a cycle very well down low defending his own zone, and can over-commit to the puckcarrier which forces teammates out of position to compensate .. struggles when pressured and will respond by often rushing decisions .. must work on making stronger and better clearing attempts .. steadily learning to exploit his footwork in 1-on-1 coverage – as he has improved his gap control and timing to administer hits against quick players .. will need to do a better job of establishing position in front of his net as he can allow players to slips in behind him " - David Burstyn
Zadorov does sometimes have a tendency to overcommit on the hit though, and this can get him out of position. He also needs to work on his poise with the puck, especially when under pressure as he can have a tendency to make some bad passes and giveaways in his own end of the rink. Overall though, his defensive game shows a lot of potential, its just a little rough around the edges right now and needs some polish. - Ben Kerr
“He’s an exceptional talent. His tools are amazing for a guy that’s 6’7” [listed at 6’5”]. I’d say the only negative thing about him is that he tried to make that big hit every time, which we liked — but sometimes there’s a place for it,” Hunter said. “He’s now doing a very good job knowing when that place is. At the beginning of the year, I remember that he came in wanting 200 hits, which is good to see for someone with his talent.
“Most guys with his talent just want to come in and score goals, but he has that rough side of his game. He really enjoys it.”
- Dylan Hunter, London Knights Asst. Coach
London GM Mark Hunter isn't shy to compare the Big Z's size, skill and potential to a famous teammate he played four years with in Montreal -- Hall of Famer Larry Robinson.
"He reminds me of a smaller version of Larry Robinson," said Hunter, who played with Robinson for three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. "He used to drop his shoulder when he'd get going up the ice and drive the net. … [Zadorov] showed me a couple times he's done that, where he's drove wide and put his shoulder down and drove to the net. He can do that which Larry … I played four years with him and I saw him do that numerous times."
"He's got all the tools to play in the National Hockey League and
all the tools to be a real good National Hockey League player," Hunter said. "The sky's the limit for this young man. Really is. He's got a great future ahead of him."
"He's like Big Bird," Hunter said. "Good guy, good player, good leader..." - Mark Hunter, London GM
Zadorov points to players like Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson and Philadelphia’s Chris Pronger as the players he likes to watch. “I like Pronger. He has a similar style of game,” he said.
Hunter cautions against making comparisons, but can see elements of various players’ games in his young blueliner.
“I can see that [Karlsson element]. He’s a heady guy who makes great plays,” he said. “Nikita’s not going to toe-drag like Karlsson, but he’ll make those good plays, make that saucer pass when he needs to. His hitting and roughness will really add an extra dimension to him.
“I just think he’s going to be a great two-way guy. I mean, you’d hate to make any comparisons to a guy like [Zdeno] Chara — you never want to do something like that, but… something like that. You know, a big, bruising defensive guy that you hate to play against who can also put the puck in the net.”
Hunter said it’s hard to project where Zadorov will fit in as his game continues to develop.
“It’s tough to say. In the NHL he’s a top-four guy all-day long, but it’s tough to say who’s going to be offensive and who’s not,” Hunter explained. “I wouldn’t say he’s pure offensive — I could see him on the power-play; he’s got a shot, he’s got a cannon. His hands are great, but he’s not going to be a Letang.
“For a big man, he can turn on a dime and he’s gone. In the NHL, that first step and that first pass? It’s huge. He’s got it — he’s got it natural.” - Hunter
"His potential is unlimited," Hunter told NHL.com. "When you see him skate in practice and games, you don't see a guy that nimble for that size, 6-5 or 6-6."
"He's huge, number one," Hunter said. "He skates well for a big man. He's got a good shot, he can pass the puck. He's got the whole package. He's just got to round it out and put it together on a game-in, game-out basis."
"He's come a long way as far as knowing what we want," Hunter said. "It's a little bit different hockey here because of the smaller ice surface. It took a little bit of an adjustment period from that standpoint. He understands. He's got a good brain for the game. He's a big guy that can skate and drive the net and do things offensively that a lot of other players are not capable of doing.
"He's an intelligent kid. He's grown so much -- he's so big. We knew he was going to figure it out. He's not scared. He hits people, he finishes his checks. There's so much to like about him it's ridiculous."
QUOTES FROM THE PLAYER:
"I watch only Sportsnet or TSN," the 6-foot-5, 228-pounder said. "I watch NHL games every day. I like it."
“[In North America], it’s a very aggressive game; it’s very fast,” Zadorov said. ““I love playing in the smaller rink. I’m a bigger guy, I love the big hit, and I love playing aggressively.
“I think I play better here.”
“I came to London because I want to play in the NHL,” he said. “It’s my dream and playing in the OHL is the best way to get there.
“It’s a great organization; great team… a great coach and manager. I think London’s like a little NHL team.”
Zadorov said that he’s well aware of the attention he’s garnered and is comfortable with the presence of scouts in the crowd. He’s not sure how he can handle the pressure — he just does.
“I don’t know — that’s a tough question,” he said. “A lot of it is that I just love to play hockey — whether I play in Russia or Canada, I just love to play.
“Oh, I know [there are scouts]. I’m not nervous I play every day — it’s just normal.”
Zadorov said he wants to work on “everything” to get better. He said he enjoys working in the gym, trying to add muscle to his already 225-pound frame.
"I like to watch the (Vancouver) Canucks," Zadorov said with a grin. "They're my favourite team. I like to watch Ottawa, too, because of (defenceman) Erik Karlsson."
Zadorov points to players like Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson and Philadelphia’s Chris Pronger as the players he likes to watch. “I like Pronger. He has a similar style of game,” he said.
“I want to be drafted in the first round. That’s my dream,” he said. “To be the first pick of an NHL team? That’s good. I’m happy to go anywhere.”
"I want to play in the NHL," Zadorov told NHL.com. "It's my dream and I want to play only here."
VIDEOS:
Highlight Reel (offensive spotlight):
Fight (in 1st OHL Game):
November 2012 Practice and Interview with Player and Coach:
At 6'7", around 230 lbs, Nikita Zadorov has immense size for a kid (I use the term loosely) who just turned 18. Zadorov skates well and has exceptional mobility for a player of his considerable stature. He has been impressive for the London Knights in his first year of North American hockey, coming over from Moscow, Russia to join the OHL in 2012. While not yet a finished product, Zadorov has been a force to be reckoned with defensively while flashing just a smattering of his offensive potential. Zadorov doesn't shy away from the rough stuff and is tough to beat one on one. He's physical in the corners and his exceptional reach gives him advantages in most situations. Offensively, he produced almost .40 pts per game in his rookie season in the OHL, scoring 6 goals and 19 assists, while sporting a plus 33 rating which was good for 10th overall in the league. Zadorov has a booming shot from the point and also sports a quick accurate wrister he can use from closer in. Zadorov has good passing skills and is capable of issuing good lead passes out of the zone as well as finding open guys in the offensive zone. He has shown the ability to carry the puck in transition and make skilled moves around opposing players as well as a good shot or pass to finish the play. He has mentioned he admires and looks up to the way Pronger and Karlsson play. I could see Zadorov really embracing and benefitting from the tutelage of Pronger and Player Development Coach, Derian Hatcher.
While he needs some more development on his overall game, I believe Zadorov posesses the raw size, talent and skillset to be a force in the NHL. I believe he has only begun to scratch the surface of what he can do at both ends of the ice and shows intriguing NHL potential as a top-pairing blueliner. I feel that, as his confidence grows and he takes on more responsibility in the good program the Hunters have in London, he will lilkely improve upon his offensive totals as well as his positioning and defensive awareness.
The Flyers current need probably skews them more toward the offensive side of the defenseman spectrum. Indeed, they already have big, defense-oriented defensemen in Grossmann and Coburn and Schenn, but I believe Zadorov posesses the tools to be potentially more effective, offensively, than either of those players.
So, I think the overall package presented by Zadorov...his exceptional size and physical play, his mobility, his developing puck skills and emergent, but largely untapped offensive potential, as well as his positive attitude, confidence and leadership, should make him one of the most attractive prospects for the Flyers come draft day. I think, if he drops, a number of teams that pass over him could come to regret it. I'd be very happy if the Flyers could nab the big Russian.
