‘I wish him the best’: Flames players say farewell to Zadorov

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Just moments after capping another dramatic comeback with the sudden-death winner, Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri was admittedly feeling a mix of emotions.

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Shortly before hitting the ice at the Saddledome for Thursday’s 4-3 overtime triumph over the Dallas Stars, the Flames bid farewell to hard-nosed defenceman Nikita Zadorov.

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The 28-year-old Zadorov was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a pair of draft picks — a fifth-round selection in 2024 and a third-rounder in 2026.

“It’s a (crappy) business, that’s just how it is,” Kadri said. “You get to know somebody and see them every single day, and next thing you know they’re on a different team. Especially when it’s a friend of yours, you get a little sensitive about it. But at the end of the day, you know they’re going to be friends for a long time.”

Friend or not, Zadorov will be a foe Saturday when the Canucks and Flames clash at the Saddledome (8 p.m. MT, CBC/Sportsnet, Sportsnet 960 The Fan). ‘Big Z’ will be donning No. 91 for his new crew.

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“He’s going to have a few bucks on the board, that’s for sure,” Kadri grinned. “But we don’t look at those things like you guys do. It’s we’re playing the Canucks, against a good team, and we have to be ready to play.

“Z is a good teammate. He’s a guy who you can give it to, and he gives it back. Those are always fun guys to have in the room because they don’t take it too personal. They can take a chirp and give one out, too. Again, it’s a tough business having to watch guys come and go on the drop of a hat. This is where I wish I was in the media business. You guys aren’t getting traded.”

Zadorov had been in the media spotlight for the past few weeks, ever since it was revealed that the rugged rearguard had requested a trade out of Calgary.

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On Thursday, about three hours before puck-drop, he received his wish.

“I talked to Z, I wished him good luck and all the best,” said Flames alternate captain Chris Tanev. “I was at the rink already, and then it’s time to prepare for the game.”

With Zadorov packing his bags for Vancouver, Dennis Gilbert and Jordan Oesterle skated Thursday on Calgary’s third pairing.

Top-four blue-liners Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Tanev and MacKenzie Weegar all logged between 20-25 minutes against the Stars. Hanifin, Tanev and Weegar each scored. A Flames forward didn’t find the back of the net until Kadri’s overtime marker.  

“It’s hard when you lose a player,” said head coach Ryan Huska during his post-game presser. “But it’s also opportunity, and that’s the way I look at it. You lose a good person out of your room and now it’s an opportunity for another good person to seize the day. That’s the way we have to approach things. And tonight, I thought our guys on the back-end really did a good job of collectively playing hard and playing the right way.”

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Zadorov was in his third campaign in Calgary, totalling 19 goals, 49 points and 180 penalty minutes in 177 appearances in the Flaming C. He racked up a team-high 396 hits over that span, which is why his old pals will have their heads on a swivel Saturday.

“It was great playing with him for a couple years and he’s a great guy and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward,” Hanifin said. “Yeah, it’ll be pretty funny playing against him on Saturday, but I wish him the best.”

wgilbertson@postmedia.com

Wes Gilbertson and Danny Austin have been covering the Flames for years and know what makes the team tick. Have questions? They have the answers – or the contacts to track them down. Send your questions to calgaryflames@postmedia.com

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