Along with Ronald Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev was one of the worst deployed players in all of the NHL last season, thanks to Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock.
With complete disregard to both measured results and common sense, Babcock used Hainsey and Zaitsev on his top two pairings all season long.
The Leafs are automatically better with both players having moved on to the Senators.
But one thing apparently needs to be pointed out: Cody Ceci is not an improvement on Nikita Zaitsev, and he shouldn’t be used by the Leafs next season in a top four role.