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After criticizing Vladimir Putin, Nikita Zadorov is barred in Russia

 Matthew Garcia
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After criticizing Vladimir Putin, Nikita Zadorov is barred in Russia
Credit: Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images
For several years now, a number of problems have been emerging in the hockey world in relation to Russia.

Decisions taken by Vladimir Putin’s government, including the invasion of Ukraine, have led to a number of changes in the hockey world, including the withdrawal of Russia and Belarus from international competitions.

Logically, many Russian players do not adhere to the decisions taken by their country, while some remain silent, while others prefer to denounce and criticize.

In the case of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov, he chose the second option: to express his way of thinking by criticizing and denouncing Vladimir Putin’s actions.

Last summer, Zadorov was not shy about speaking out against his country’s decisions.

Obviously, this has now had consequences, as Zadorov has stated that he is out of his country, Russia.

Zadorov explained that if he returned to Russia at all, he’d be sent straight to Siberia the next day.

In short, as Iain MacIntyre explains in his article for Sportsnet, Zadorov is now a player without a country, even though he spends his summers in Miami with his family.

This is clearly a big factor for Zadorov, who simply can’t decide to end his career in the KHL as many other Russian players have done and continue to do.

That’s why, at the age of 29, Zadorov, who could become a free agent on July 1ᵉʳ, is looking for a long and lucrative contract.

The Russian defenseman is currently entering the best years of his career, having just enjoyed an incredible series with the Canucks, when he scored eight points (four goals and four assists) in 13 games.

Zadorov and his family love Vancouver, and the Russian defenseman believes he could win the Stanley Cup with the Canucks, but it remains to be seen whether they can offer Zadorov the contract he wants and deserves.

The 6-foot-6, 248-pound defenseman is an excellent addition to any team, especially considering that the four teams that reached the Stanley Cup semi-finals have rosters with big players.

In short, it will be very interesting to follow Zadorov’s progress this summer, as the Canucks will clearly be looking to keep him, considering how important he has been to the team’s success, and how quickly he has become a fan favorite.

I invite you to read the full article on Zadorov right here.


In a gust

– Quite a hockey player, and a very good person too.

– It would be a failure if the Panthers didn’t win the Stanley Cup.

– It would be great if Montreal CF could get their hands on at least one of the next European stars to join MLS.

– An easy win for Alcaraz against the Quebecer.

– Coming up.

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