"He's not wrong" "That's rich coming from a Russian player": NHL fans divided on Nikita Zadorov's chirp aimed at city of Edmonton

As the Vancouver Canucks square off against the Edmonton Oilers in a heated playoff series, Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov sparked debate with his remarks about Edmonton. Despite his past stints in Western Canada, Zadorov's time in Vancouver and Calgary hasn't fostered a favorable view of Edmonton.

Zadorov acknowledged the fervent support of Oilers fans, albeit with a back-handed compliment.

"It's fun. They have good fans. Diehard fans. Pretty much nothing else to do in that city except watch hockey.

"So I like what they're doing, that's why they love their team and support them so hard. It's been fun. I've only had good experiences there, for sure."

Having played nine of his 11 NHL seasons in the­ Western Confere­nce, Zadorov knows Edmonton's hockey scene­ well.

Fans took to X/Twitter to react to Zadorov's comments about Edmonton, with opinions divided. Some fans appreciated his candid remarks, with one saying:

"I live in Edmonton, and he’s not wrong."

However, others took offense, viewing Zadorov's words as disrespectful towards Edmonton and its residents.

"That’s rich coming from a Russian Player. How are things at home?"

Nikita Zadorov's remarks sparked a lively debate among NHL fans:

"honestly can’t hate it he’s right other than the mall we don’t got that much," one fan said.

"Can we ask about your home town?" another fan chimed in.

"lol only nothing to do if your him. The rest of us have friends…" one fan commented.

"That’s okay let him chirp Edmonton. Pretty sure the Oilers will send him golfing very soon!" another fan reacted.

"This guy is turning into one of the biggest clowns in the league," one fan said.

"Don’t care much what you think!" another fan said.

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Nikita Zadorov embraces intense series against Oilers

Zadorov acknowledged the escalating intensity of the series, emphasizing the competitiveness and physicality expected as the Canucks and Oilers face off with the series tied at 1-1.

"It’s getting competitive. It’s a 1-1 series going back to Edmonton. It’s only going to get (chippier)," he remarked.

He emphasized his dedication to delivering his best, fueled by the energy of the Canadian hockey scene and the heightened attention from platforms like Sportsnet.

"You get the energy all the time and you're just feeding from that energy and you're trying to bring your best every night," he added.

Zadorov has bee­n a game-changer for the Canucks in the playoffs. He scored a goal and provided an assist in the first two game­s of the second-round series against the Oilers.

Although he only had six goals in the regular se­ason, the 29-year-old defe­nseman now has four goals in eight playoff games with Vancouve­r.