Nikita Zadorov has been a Vancouver Canuck for nearly a month and says the adjustment has been smooth.

Zadorov was a surprising acquisition for the Vancouver Canucks at the end of November, arriving from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick. He spent parts of three seasons in Alberta before leaving the team.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always great to come in to a team with really high expectations. The boys were rolling before I got here as well,鈥� said Zadorov, reflecting on the trade.

The change of scenery was welcomed by Zadorov after things soured for him in Calgary.

鈥淟ast year was a lot of ups and downs for me. This year wasn鈥檛 great for me in Calgary, not what we expected,鈥� he said.

Zadorov requested a trade in mid-November, after Dan Milstein 鈥� the defenceman鈥檚 agent 鈥� took to social media raising concerns about his client鈥檚 ice time.

While his ice time has stayed roughly the same on the Canucks, averaging over 18 minutes per game, the move to Vancouver and up the standings has helped.

鈥淣ow being on top of the table is cool and you can take pride in it,鈥� Zadorov said.

Consensus at the time of the trade was that the Canucks had underpaid for the six-foot-six blueliner with other teams in desperate need of strengthening on defence.

鈥淲e鈥檇 been checking around the league and Nikita was a name that was out there,鈥� said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin. 鈥淗e鈥檚 unique in terms of size and ability to move in today鈥檚 game.鈥�

Zadorov has one assist, 13 blocked shots and 17 hits with the Canucks through 11 games.

鈥淚鈥檝e been trying to focus on the defensive side for now,鈥� said Zadorov. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I think they brought me here as well. I鈥檓 not worried about my points or my offensive game while this team is winning.鈥�

He鈥檚 finished all but two games in the plus column and sits at plus-three through his 11 games with Vancouver so far.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of learning points for me because of new players, new teammates, new system, new things the coaches want to see from me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 only been 11 games but I think I鈥檓 progressing every single game.鈥�

Zadorov has been reunited with fellow defensive giant Tyler Myers, who is six-foot-eight, on the Canucks. The pair briefly played together in Buffalo.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been getting better every game. He鈥檚 probably never played with such a big guy before and I鈥檝e never played with such a big guy,鈥� Zadorov said about being reunited with his former Sabres teammate.

Myers laughs about the joke about their respective heights.

鈥淗is first year in Buffalo, I was there with him. It鈥檚 been a pretty big gap since we鈥檝e been teammates but it鈥檚 been going well,鈥� said Myers.

Myers adds that having two larger defencemen means they鈥檙e able to use their reach and sticks as an advantage as well as use their bodies to limit forwards along the boards.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said he鈥檚 pleased with Zadarov鈥檚 adjustment to the team as the one-month mark approaches, and added there鈥檚 more to come.

鈥淗e knows there鈥檚 another level. He鈥檚 played really well for us but for a guy that鈥檚 big like that, can skate and shoot, there鈥檚 another level for him,鈥� Tocchet said.

Part of that comes from learning a different style of play from Zadorov鈥檚 time in Calgary as well as adjusting to new teammates and defensive responsibilities, Tocchet added.

Zadorov is in the final year of a US$3.75 million deal and set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Nick Wells, The Canadian Press

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