It’s the middle of July and Nikita Zadorov isn’t signed by the Colorado Avalanche yet? Is it time to panic?
The answer really should be no in this situation, but considering the lack of NHL defensemen currently on the roster, I can understand a little panic, as well as a little excitement for those who are expecting Zadorov to potentially play a bigger role this season and ideally work his way into the top four (based on merit, not just necessity).
That brings us back to Zadarov’s contract, and what he should be getting paid. A convenient and handy prediction is the model created by Matt Cane, which puts Zadorov at a cap hit of just over $1.