Blackhawks Player Grades: Nikita Zaitsev

September is here. The dog days of summer are in the rearview mirror and the NHL season is quickly approaching. Before the season begins, we need to finish our 2023-24 Chicago Blackhawks player grades. Next up in our series is another blueliner. Last time we graded a defenseman, we focused on the youth of the blue line with Kevin Korchinski. Now, we will focus on one of the veterans in the group in the form of Nikita Zaitsev.

Zaitsev was acquired by the Blackhawks during the 2022-23 season from the Ottawa Senators. Purely a salary cap dump, the Sens included a second-round pick in 2023 (which became F Roman Kantserov) and a fourth-round pick in 2026. The future considerations are still open, effectively making the deal a one-sided steal for Kyle Davidson. Zaitsev played out the final year-plus of his contract before signing in Europe this summer, signing a four-year deal in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg.

Story of the Season

Zaitsev was never going to be a game-changer for the Blackhawks, and that showed in his time with Chicago. However, he put up ok numbers and was a warm body amidst a slew of injuries on Chicago's blue line. The Russian defenseman only suited up for 38 games in 2023-24 after 18 games at the end of the 2022-23 season. Last season, Zaitsev posted seven points (two goals, five assists), averaged 15:56 of ice time, and carried a -5 plus/minus.

Zaitsev's season was underwhelming and included multiple injuries and instances where he was a healthy scratch. Chicago made the deal to acquire the veteran because of the fantastic return in draft capital, not because of the player. Davidson weaponized cap space and for 56 games of Nikita Zaitsev, he received two free draft picks.

Player Grades

Jonnie Nonnie's Grade: C

There's a reason the Ottawa Senators parted with two draft picks to get Nikita Zaitsev's contract off their books. There's no need to harp on his deficiencies; he was a warm body on the blue line when healthy during his time in Chicago. It was apparent his NHL career was on its last legs, and he's now off to the KHL.

Tony Marchese's Grade: C

Zaitsev's days of logging over 20 minutes on the blue line were long past him when he joined the Blackhawks in 2022-23, but he did manage to appear in 38 games for the Hawks this past season and average just shy of 16 minutes a night. Outside of that, there wasn't much Zaitsev did incredibly well.

A sometimes serviceable veteran defenseman is fine on a rebuilding team, and that is the role he played over the last two seasons. With a more competitive crop of young players likely finding their way into the Chicago lineup, it is likely (and Tony was correct) that is the last we've seen of Zaitsev in the Indian Head sweater.

Ron Luce's Grade: C

It's rare that all three graders are on the same page, but with Nikita Zaitsev, we were. As my colleagues said, Zaitsev was nothing more than a warm body in Chicago, and a beautiful trade for Kyle Davidson and his trade log. Going forward, there is a chance that Blackhawks fans are thanking the Senators for their pick, as it amounted to the highly-skilled Russian forward Roman Kantserov. His NHL career is unknown, but Zaitsev's is finished as he returns to the KHL.

What's On Tap Next?

With Zaitsev moving on to the KHL, there will be a spot open on the Blackhawks' blue line. With an influx of veterans like Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie, the youth will get another year to season and hone their craft in Rockford. There will not be lifeless minutes of ice time handed to player like Zaitsev anymore, but rather competent veterans keeping spots warm for the future of the team in the minors.

Tell us if you agree with our grades! What would you give Nikita Zaitsev? Let us know at @FourFeathersPod on X and Instagram !

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