Nikita Zadorov

Lore & Background

Zadorov was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on 26 June 2015 as part of a package that included Mikhail Grigorenko, J. T. Compher, and the 31st pick in the 2015 draft, in exchange for Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn. Upon learning of the trade, Zadorov said he was happy because he 'knew about this organization...it’s always nice to play for a GM who's actually been here and knows what it’s like for the players when you’re playing and working hard.' He began the 2015–16 season with the Avalanche but was reassigned to the AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage to improve his game; General Manager Joe Sakic said 'for a young man in that position, he needs to play a ton and work on his confidence.' Zadorov remained in the AHL until a recall on 13 January, but was sent back on 23 January after Erik Johnson returned from injury.

The following season, Zadorov made the Avalanche lineup out of training camp and stayed for the entire 2016–17 season. In February 2017, he collided with forward Mikko Rantanen during practice and suffered a season-ending fractured ankle. Prior to the 2017–18 season, he signed a two-year contract extension. That season, on 22 March, Zadorov broke the Avalanche record for most hits in a single game with 15, which was also the third-most hits by an NHL player since 1998–99. He led the league with 278 hits and set career highs in goals (7), assists (13), and points (20). After the season, he underwent shoulder surgery and missed training camp, but was cleared as a full participant on 20 September. He played 70 games in 2018–19, recording 7 goals, 7 assists, and 75 penalty minutes, and was re-signed to a one-year, $3.2 million contract.

In the 2019–20 season, Zadorov suffered a facial fracture from a puck to the face against the Nashville Predators and had surgery to heal a broken jaw, returning three games later. In the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, he recorded his first playoff goal in a 7–1 Game 5 win over the Arizona Coyotes. During the second round against the Dallas Stars, he passed Matt Duchene for 74th place on the franchise playoff points list. Despite injuring his arm, he played through pain; after a Game 7 defeat, he opted for surgery. He finished the playoffs with 3 goals and 5 points in 15 games. On 8 October 2020, as a restricted free agent, he was tendered a qualifying offer by the Avalanche.

Reader's Guide

Nikita Zadorov's tenure with the Colorado Avalanche spanned five seasons, from his acquisition in a 2015 trade to his departure as a restricted free agent in 2020. His time with the team was marked by development from a prospect who needed AHL seasoning into a physical, shutdown defenceman who set franchise records. Zadorov's most notable achievement with the Avalanche was breaking the single-game hits record with 15 hits on 22 March 2018, a mark that also ranked as the third-most hits by any NHL player since 1998–99. That same season, he led the entire NHL with 278 hits, while setting career highs in goals, assists, and points. His physical style was a key element of the Avalanche's blueline, though injuries—including a fractured ankle from a practice collision with Mikko Rantanen, shoulder surgery, and a broken jaw from a puck to the face—interrupted his consistency. In the 2020 playoffs, Zadorov contributed 3 goals and 5 points in 15 games, including his first career playoff goal, and played through an arm injury before undergoing surgery after the Avalanche's second-round elimination. His legacy with the Avalanche is that of a hard-hitting defenceman who grew into a reliable NHL player and left a mark on the franchise record book.

Did You Know?

• Zadorov set the Colorado Avalanche record for most hits in a single game with 15 on 22 March 2018.
• He led the NHL with 278 hits during the 2017–18 season.
• Zadorov suffered a season-ending fractured ankle in February 2017 after colliding with Mikko Rantanen during practice.
• He scored his first NHL playoff goal in a 7–1 Game 5 win over the Arizona Coyotes in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.