Nikita Zaitsev

Nikita Igorevich Zaitsev (; born 29 October 1991) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).
==Playing career==
===KHL===
Zaitsev was selected by Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in the first round, fourth overall, of the 2009 KHL Junior Draft, making his debut for the club a few months later. After four years with the Sibir organization, Zaitsev joined his hometown CSKA Moscow, after which he began to attract international attention. He was twice a KHL All-Star (2015, 2016) and named once to the KHL First All-Star team (2014–15).
In the summer of 2015, the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs began to garner publicized interest in Zaitsev; Zaitsev had even toured the city and arena, while also meeting with team staff, coming away "very impressed". Despite this, Zaitsev returned to Russia to honour the final year of his contract with CSKA. During the subsequent season's playoffs, he led all defencemen in scoring with 13 points (tied with Sami Lepistö and Chris Lee), while helping the top-seeded CSKA to the Gagarin Cup finals, where the team lost in the deciding Game 7 to Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
===NHL===
====Toronto Maple Leafs====
On 2 May 2016, Zaitsev signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs. He made his pre-season debut with the club on 2 October, scoring a goal in a 3–2 win over the rival Montreal Canadiens. On 12 October 2016, Zaitsev made his official NHL debut in a 5–4 loss to the Ottawa Senators in the 2016–17 season opener. He scored his first NHL goal on 17 December 2016 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On 2 May 2017, Zaitsev signed a new seven-year, $31.5 million contract with Toronto carrying an average annual value of $4.5 million.
During the 2017–18 season, Zaitsev was placed on injured reserve (IR) with a lower body injury on 17 December 2017. He had 7 points in 18 games with Toronto before being placed on IR. After missing 17 games, he returned to the lineup on 30 January 2018 for a game against the New York Islanders.
====Ottawa Senators====
On 1 July 2019, Zaitsev was traded (along with Connor Brown and Michael Carcone) to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur, Aaron Luchuk and a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2008–09 	Krylya Sovetov Moscow	RUS-2 	 	8 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Sibir Novosibirsk 	KHL 	 	40 	0 	1 	1 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Sibir Novosibirsk 	KHL 	 	39 	0 	2 	2 	12 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2
2011–12 	Sibir Novosibirsk 	KHL 	 	53 	1 	3 	4 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Sibir Novosibirsk 	KHL 	 	49 	7 	11 	18 	41 	 	7 	1 	0 	1 	8
2013–14 	CSKA Moscow 	KHL 	 	33 	4 	8 	12 	18 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	27
2014–15 	CSKA Moscow 	KHL 	 	57 	12 	20 	32 	31 	 	16 	1 	7 	8 	2
2015–16 	CSKA Moscow 	KHL 	 	46 	8 	18 	26 	20 	 	20 	4 	9 	13 	10
2016–17 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	NHL 	 	82 	4 	32 	36 	38 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	0
2017–18 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	NHL 	 	60 	5 	8 	13 	31 	 	7 	0 	2 	2 	2
2018–19 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	NHL 	 	81 	3 	11 	14 	18 	 	7 	0 	0 	0 	2
2019–20 	Ottawa Senators 	NHL 	 	58 	1 	11 	12 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
KHL totals	KHL totals 	KHL totals	 	317 	32 	63 	95 	156 	 	51 	7 	17 	24 	49
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	281 	13 	62 	75 	109 	 	18 	0 	2 	2 	4
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 	 	GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
2009 	Russia 	WJC18 	 	 	7 	1	4 	5 	14
2010 	Russia 	WJC 	6th 	 	6 	0	0 	0 	4
2011 	Russia 	WJC 	 	 	6 	0	0 	0 	0
2013 	Russia 	WC 	6th 	 	3 	1	0 	1 	0
2016 	Russia 	WC 	 	 	10	1	3 	4 	2
2016 	Russia 	WCH 	4th 	 	4 	0	2 	2 	2
2018 	Russia 	WC 	6th 	 	8 	0	8 	8 	0
2019 	Russia 	WC 	 	 	10	2	2 	4 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	 	19	1	4 	5 	18
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	 	35	4	15	19 	4
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award or Honour 	Year 	Ref
KHL 	KHL 	KHL
2x KHL All-Star 	2015, 2016 	
KHL First All Star Team 	2015 	
Most playoff points by a defenceman (13)	2016 	
International 	International	International
WC All-Star Team 	2016 	
==References==
== External links ==
* 
Category:Born in 1991
Category:HC CSKA Moscow players
Category:HC Sibir Novosibirsk players
Category:Ottawa Senators players
Category:Russian ice hockey defencemen
Category:Sibirskie Snaipery players
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players
Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players
Category:Zauralie Kurgan players