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The Tape: Zadorov's simplified defensive play

January 6, 2020

This time on The Tape we are diving into Nikita Zadorov’s bare-bones approach to defense this season.

1. Physicality. Hitting always has and always will be a key part of Zadorov’s game but it doesn’t have to be a bone-rattling open-ice hit. His six-foot-six, 235-pound frame is a massive advantage, literally. When he goes into the corner with a smaller opponent it’s something he should be leveraging as often as possible, as seen below.

2. Long reach. More often than not opponents are going to do everything in their power to stay off the tracks and not get rocked by Zadorov. Big Z can still be effective thanks to his size by covering a massive amount of ice with his stick. On this play, Street gets the inside line and turns back to the blue line with open ice to skate into but Zadorov is able to reach in from behind and knock the puck loose, flipping possession to the Avs.

3. Off puck decisions. Z is embracing the role of defense-first this season. When away from the puck in the offensive zone he seldom pinches and his first move is to back off into the neutral zone. With the Avs working the puck low to high on the far side Zadorov remains high in the zone so when something goes wrong he can cover back and be the responsible defenseman. Keeping the odd-man rush in front of him allows him to play patiently, take away the passing lane and force the puck carrier into the single option of shooting.

4. Shot blocking. The Avs defensive structure is set up in such a way that it requires defensemen to take some rubber at times. Zadorov seems to have bought into this philosophy this season as his blocks are up by a noticeable margin. On the play below you can see a pinballing puck leaves Zadorov in an awkward position but his recovery time is impressive. His immediate reaction is to lift a stick which is a good instinct but once he realizes where the puck is he has no choice but to commit to the block. In this case, it helps save a goal.

5. Chips and flips. One of the biggest knocks on Zadorov is his puck management in the defensive zone. While there is still plenty to be desired in that regard he has started to get a better feel for making the simple play. Being able to loft and knock pucks out to open ice in the neutral zone while not taking an icing is a key factor for defensemen to reset plays and allow their team to change if necessary. Sometimes it can even create an odd-man rush.