“Best news I’ve heard today" “Wow, that’s a huge loss”: Fans react as Canucks confirm decision not to extend Nikita Zadorov’s contract

Defenseman Nikita Zadorov will be hitting the free agent market, Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin confirms. The news does not come as a surprise considering the demand Zadorov is expected to generate on the open market.

Fans across the league are hardly shocked by the news either. In fact, some fans seem satisfied with the announcement. So, here is a look at some choice comments regarding Nikita Zadorov’s impending free agency.

“Let another team overpay, 3rd pair defenders aren’t worth 6 million,” one fan opined.

“This guy is a basket case. He thinks he’s Makar,” another fan chimed in, likely referring to Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar.

“Best news I’ve heard today,” this fan Tweeted.

Not all comments praised the Canucks’ reluctance to sign Nikita Zadorov to a long-term extension, though. Some fans expressed their remorse at hearing that Zadorov may not be back in Vancouver next season. Let’s look at what these fans had to say:

“Just fell to my knees,” a fan Tweeted.

“That sucks!!!!! Come on Big Z WE want you back!!!!!” this fan chirped.

“Wow, that’s a huge loss… All that cap space wasn’t for him?” a fan posted.

With Zadorov hitting the free agent market, it remains to be seen which teams are willing to meet his demands. The likeliest landing spots for the Russian defenseman will be contending teams with cap space to add a top-four, shutdown blue liner.

Canucks unwilling to overpay for Nikita Zadorov

The Vancouver Canucks are unwilling to overpay for Nikita Zadorov, Allvin told the media on Friday, the Toronto Star reported.

Allvin stated:

"I can’t overpay one single player.”

The announcement underscores the constraints most teams face during the salary cap era. As a result, teams must be extremely mindful of how much they pay individual players. Overpaying for one player could lead to issues filling out a competitive roster.

Allvin added:

“And Nikita Zadorov was extremely good for us in the playoffs and a character guy. We did our best and he decided he wanted to go somewhere else.”

The 29-year-old should draw plenty of interest from teams around the league. But as for the Canucks, they are more focused on building a contending team. After extending Tyler Myers and Dakota Joshua, the club looks to continue building a solid lineup.

Allvin concluded his remarks by stating:

“For us, it’s just not about each individual. It’s about getting a team that’s competitive and fitting the puzzles in. We did our best and we can’t go any further.”

As Zadorov looks forward to free agency, the Canucks will have their sights set on Friday night’s NHL Draft. The Canucks don’t have a first-round pick this year but will be hopeful to find great talent in the later rounds.