Maple Leafs sign Nikita Zaitsev to 1-year, entry-level contract
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to a one-year entry level contract.
The 24-year-old Russian recorded eight goals and 18 assists in 46 games for KHL club CSKA Moscow this past season, with an additional four goals and nine assists in 20 playoff games, tied for most points among defensemen in the postseason.
A fellow defenseman sees loads of potential in Zaitsev:
Interested to see how he plays in NHL. He was just as impressive to me in KHL as Panarin was when I was in Russia https://t.co/mD5Mzlm4Ry
— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) May 2, 2016
Zaitsev will represent his home country at the 2016 IIHF World Championships and is expected to dress as one of Toronto's top-six defensemen next season.