Leafs Lock Up Zaitsev

The transition into the NHL went very well for Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and that transition was rewarded this week with a brand new contract extension on Tuesday.  The 25-year old Russian signed a new 7-year deal, worth $31.5 million, which works out to a $4.5 million cap hit per year.

The rookie featured in all 82 games for the Leafs in the 2017 season, picking up 4 goals and 36 points, which ranked him 42nd among all defensemen in pool scoring in the season.  With how offensively gifted this team already is and his own growth in the league already going so well, one could assume that those numbers will trend upwards and he'll be a very good pool player moving forward.

In the pool, he belonged to Marcie's first year entry into the big hockey pool and her team came away with $120 in mini-game money, thanks in part to Zaitsev's 38 PIM for the goon pool, but he wasn't able to chip in during the Centennial Classic in the outdoor games pool, which her team also won.  Marcie's team was also in the hunt for the overall money prizes, finishing 12 points short of 3rd place, thanks in part to the bargain pick that Zaitsev was.