Nikita Zadorov to hit free agency, Canucks GM Patrick Allvin confirms

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Nikita Zadorov’s time as a Vancouver Canuck was sweet, but short.

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GM Patrik Allvin told media Friday that the big defenceman will test free agency on Monday, after the player and the team were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.

“Nikita Zadorov was extremely good for us in the playoffs. And a character guy. And we did our best. He decided that he wanted to go somewhere else,” Allvin said.

Allvin traded for Zadorov in late November, adding the bruising blueliner that head coach Rick Tocchet was hoping for.

Zadorov’s regular season was a bit mixed, but his performance in the playoffs was outstanding. He played the third-most minutes of any Canucks defenceman in the playoffs, using his size to impose himself on most games, while adding an offensive element too.

He was exactly what the Canucks hoped he would be.

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But obviously that performance drew notice around the league and he and his agent Dan Milstein are expecting he will get some big offers when free agency opens on Monday.

“I will share my thoughts sometime next week,” Milstein said when asked for comment. (He has as many as 15 clients set to be drafted this weekend, including as many as six in the first round on Friday.)

After Allvin was able to flip another Milstein client, Ilya Mikheyev, to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, many wondered if the added cap flexibility created by unloading the speedy winger would be used on Zadorov.

Instead, Allvin moved to re-sign Tyler Myers and Dakota Joshua.

He still has about $15.5 million in cap space to work with — including pushing Tucker Poolman on to long-term injured reserve — which means there’s plenty of cap space still left to sign a high-end winger, like Jake Guentzel.

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For a brief moment, some might have pondered West Vancouver’s Sam Reinhart as an alternative, but it was reported Friday afternoon that the high-scoring two-way winger was re-signing with the Florida Panthers.

On top of signing an expensive forward, there’d still be space to add a couple serviceable defencemen.

Allvin made it obvious last month he’s keen to add a top-six forward but on Friday, he was a little more coy about his plans.

“Definitely looking at options to improve our team and get better,” he said.

New backup goalie?

At the conclusion of the Canucks’ playoff run, it sure did seem like Arturs Silovs would be the Canucks’ backup goalie in 2024-25.

He’d overhauled Casey DeSmith in the playoffs. DeSmith had been a serviceable backup but in the end backups change teams all the time.

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But it appears the Canucks are not sold on Silovs as the team’s backup for next season.

Rumours surfaced this week that the Canucks were changing course, that Silovs was going to end up back in Abbotsford to start the season — team sources suggested a belief that he needs further seasoning in the minors, that his vulnerability on long shots remains an issue — and that the team might even return to DeSmith.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported Friday that there’s been little conversation between the team and DeSmith’s agent, though.

Asked about his expectations for Silovs next season, Allvin answered carefully.

“We’re very pleased with Silovs and his progress here, his play and performance in the playoffs, and the discussions, obviously, in what’s the best for him and what’s the best for Vancouver connects at this point. We’re still talking internally, but Silovs is definitely a good candidate to be on the big team next year,” he explained.

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pjohnston@postmedia.com

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