The Vancouver Canucks have set a soft deadline for defenseman Nikita Zadorov to decide on a long-term contract extension offer with that proposal coming in the “next few days.”
Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal reported that the team will make their final offer to Zadorov and his representatives “soon” while Elliotte Friedman shared similar information in parallel to Dhaliwal’s report, mentioning the next few days as the potential timeline for a decision
Dhaliwal emphasized the Canucks’ urgency to present a contract extension and have Zadorov sign it on June 14 on the Donnie & Dhaliwal show.
“A final offer is coming to Zadorov soon,” Dhaliwal said. “The player and his agent would love to re-sign in Vancouver, but this is strictly about money. It’s a tough contract to do because he’s going to get a big raise and he’s gonna want term–and we’re talking big term.”
Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman echoed this sentiment in the June 14 episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, reporting similar information and “the next few days” as a probable deadline for a decision.
“I think we’re going to know in the next few days if there’s any hope with Zadorov,” Friedman said. “It appears unlikely (he signs an extension) but someone reached out to me and said that one isn’t over yet. Odds are less than 50 percent. They told me it might be over soon but it’s not over yet.”
Zadorov completed his two-year, $4.3 million contract this year scoring 20 points in 75 regular-season games and adding 8 points in the 2024 postseason.
Canucks & Zadorov Negotiations Developments
The negotiations between Zadorov and the Canucks have been ongoing for weeks, with the Toronto Maple Leafs becoming the latest team linked to the player if he leaves.
“I will not be surprised if the Maple Leafs are a team that takes a long look at Zadorov and Joshua if they make it to July 1,” Dhaliwal reported on June 13.
According to Irfaan Gaffar of Canucks Daily, the Canucks offered Zadorov a four or five-year contract worth $4.5MM AAV but that didn’t suit the player nor his agent’s demands.
“There was an offer that the Canucks did make, I believe it was [$4.5 million] over four, five years,” Gaffar said on the May 25 episode of the Rink Wide podcast. “The Zadorov camp did turn that one down.”
Evolving Hockey, however, projects Zadorov to get a much lower three-year deal at a $4MM average annual value in cap hit worth $12 million spread over that duration.
On June 7, Friedman reported Zadorov’s willingness to “lose” some money to stay in Vancouver, even if he gets a lower contract than the one waiting for him in the free-agent market.
“I just believe Zadorov has a number, and it might actually be a little less than he could get on the open market to stay in Vancouver,” Friedman said. “I don’t think Vancouver is far away from it, but I don’t think they’ve hit it.
“Vancouver’s trying to make the best deal they can. They’re not there. I don’t think this is impossible, but I think they have to get there. Because I think Zadorov knows if he gets to the open market, he’s going to be happy with what’s out there.”
Nikita Zadorov’s Impact In Vancouver
The Canucks acquired Zadorov from the Calgary Flames in a November 2023 trade. He quickly made a significant impact on the Canucks’ defense, contributing both offensively and defensively, and instantly became a fan favorite.
Zadorov finished the 2023-24 season sixth on the team in scoring, and he potted 4 goals and posted 8 points in 13 postseason games.
However, considering the many high-level free agents in the Canucks roster, retaining Zadorov is far from a fait accompli.
PuckPedia projects the Canucks to enter the offseason with $25 million of cap space, although that figure only includes 14 players currently under contract and in Vancouver’s active roster.
General Manager Patrik Allvin and President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford will need to make tough decisions including dealing with the new contracts of Elias Lindholm, Filip Hronek, and Dakota Joshua among others.
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