Chicago Blackhawks’ Nikita Zaitsev leaves game vs. Sharks

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that Nikita Zaitsev will not be returning to Tuesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

The Blackhawks did not specify the reason for Zaitsev’s departure. If it was an injury, it’s unclear what may have caused it, outside of when Fabian Zetterlund tripped him into the boards early in the second period, which resulted in a Chicago power play.

Zaitsev, 32, finished the game with a hit in 8:46 of ice time, with the Blackhawks up 1-0 at his time of departure.

The Moscow, Russia product has had one of his more productive seasons with Chicago this year when he’s played, with 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 25 games. He’s on pace for 22 points in an 82-game season, which would be the highest-scoring season of his career since his 36-point rookie season in 2016-17.

Outside of his production this season, it hasn’t been a good stretch of hockey for Zaitsev in recent years. Since his sophomore season in 2017-18, he’s been one of the worst defensemen in the league, with the 15th-worst goals above replacement in the span at -12.5.

Zaitsev was an undrafted free agent signing out of the KHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he spent three seasons in Toronto before he was dealt to the Ottawa Senators in 2019 as a cap dump. He then spent parts of four seasons in Ottawa before he was dealt again at the 2023 trade deadline to the Blackhawks, again as a cap dump.

Zaitsev has found himself as a cap dump on more than one ocassion due to his current contract, a seven-year deal with a $4.5 million cap hit originally signed in Toronto after his rookie season. He’s now in the final year of that deal, and he will be an unrestricted free agent in the 2024 offseason.

The Blackhawks found themselves in last place in the Central Division going into tonight’s game against the Sharks with a 12-29-2 record, and have the second-worst record in the league after those same Sharks.