Nikita Zaitsev facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nikita Zaitsev
Zaitsev with Russia in 2014
Born	(1991-10-29) 29 October 1991 (age 33) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
KHL team Former teams	SKA Saint Petersburg Sibir Novosibirsk CSKA Moscow Toronto Maple Leafs Ottawa Senators Chicago Blackhawks
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2009–present

Nikita Zaitsev (Russian: Никита Игоревич Зайцев), born on October 29, 1991, is a professional ice hockey player from Russia. He plays as a defence player, which means he helps protect his team's goal. Currently, he plays for SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Playing Career

KHL Journey

Nikita Zaitsev started his professional hockey journey in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was picked by the Sibir Novosibirsk team in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft. He began playing for them just a few months later.

After playing for Sibir for four years, Nikita moved to his hometown team, CSKA Moscow. Here, his skills really started to get noticed by teams around the world. He was chosen as a KHL All-Star twice (in 2015 and 2016). He was also named to the KHL's First All-Star team in 2015, which means he was one of the best players in the league that year.

In 2015, the National Hockey League (NHL) team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, became very interested in Zaitsev. He even visited Toronto and met with the team. However, he returned to Russia to finish his contract with CSKA. During the playoffs that season, he was a top defence player in scoring. He helped CSKA reach the Gagarin Cup finals, where they lost in a very close Game 7.

NHL Adventure

Time with the Toronto Maple Leafs

On May 2, 2016, Nikita Zaitsev signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played his first pre-season game on October 2, scoring a goal. On October 12, 2016, he made his official NHL debut. His coach, Mike Babcock, praised his good play.

Zaitsev (behind the net) defending the puck from Nicklas Bäckström (left) in a playoff game against the Washington Capitals in 2017.

He scored his first NHL goal on December 17, 2016. By the end of his first season, Zaitsev had 36 points. This was the second-highest among defence players on his team. He became a key player, helping with both the penalty kill (when a team is short a player) and the power play (when a team has an extra player). In the 2017 playoffs, he was given the tough job of defending against star player Alexander Ovechkin. The Maple Leafs lost their series to the Washington Capitals.

On May 2, 2017, Zaitsev signed a big new seven-year contract with Toronto. This was because he played so well in his first season. During the 2017–18 season, he had an injury that made him miss 17 games. When he returned, his play was not as strong as before. He finished the 2018–19 season with 14 points. After this season, Zaitsev reportedly asked to be traded from Toronto.

Playing for the Ottawa Senators

On July 1, 2019, Zaitsev was traded to the Ottawa Senators. He was traded along with Connor Brown and Michael Carcone. In return, the Maple Leafs received Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur, and other players. In his first season with the Senators, Zaitsev played on the top defence pair with Thomas Chabot. He was also named one of the team's alternate captains. The Senators' coach, D. J. Smith, used Zaitsev as a defensive player. This meant he played against the other team's best players.

The next season (2021–22) was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zaitsev had a tougher time finding his rhythm. He also missed games because he was on the COVID protocol list. In December, he was injured and missed four weeks of play.

The Senators' general manager tried to trade Zaitsev in 2022, but couldn't find a team. His play at the start of the 2022–23 season was difficult. He was placed on waivers in November 2022. This meant other teams could claim him. No team claimed him, so he was sent to the Senators' minor league team, the Belleville Senators, in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played three games there before being called back to the NHL team.

Time with the Chicago Blackhawks

On February 22, 2023, Zaitsev was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He made his debut for Chicago on March 4. He scored his first goal with the Blackhawks on March 23. In his second season with Chicago, Zaitsev injured his right knee in January 2024. He returned to play in March.

Return to KHL

On July 4, 2024, Nikita Zaitsev returned to the KHL. He signed a four-year contract with SKA Saint Petersburg.

Career Statistics

These tables show Nikita Zaitsev's performance in different hockey leagues. GP means Games Played, G means Goals, A means Assists, Pts means Points (Goals + Assists), and PIM means Penalty Minutes.

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play

Nikita Zaitsev has also played for his home country, Russia, in many international hockey tournaments. He has won several medals for his country.

Zaitsev at the 2010 World Junior Championships
Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Russia
World Championships
Bronze	2016 Russia
Bronze	2019 Slovakia
World Junior Championships
Gold	2011 United States
World U18 Championships
Silver	2009 United States

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					19	1	4	5	18
Senior totals					35	4	15	19	4

Awards and Honours

Nikita Zaitsev has received several awards and honours throughout his career for his excellent play.