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At the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas, Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion and his scouting staff took some flak when they selected Boston University winger Brady Tkachuk fourth overall. Tkachuk had 8 goals and 31 points in 40 games for the Terriers.
Meanwhile, still on the board at that draft was Halifax Mooseheads sniper Filip Zadina, who had 44 goals and 82 points in 57 games. The Detroit Red Wings chose Zadina sixth overall.
While very few fans had seen either teenager play, the disparity in their amateur statistics led many to believe that Dorion had erred by not taking Zadina.
In reality, it didn’t take very long for both players to prove Dorion right. But it’s always important to maintain patience when evaluating draft success. Players do develop at different rates.
For example, Tim Stutzle rocketed out of the gate and seemed for a few seasons to be the best player to come out of the 2020 NHL Draft. But Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield both entered the chat with wildly improved performances last season. So that draft discourse will continue.
But the 2018 Tkachuk-Zadina debate, whatever was left of it, is now officially over. Triple stamp it, no erasies.
While Tkachuk is one of the game’s best power forwards, averaging close to a point per game the past two years, Zadina couldn’t find work in the league this season and signed on today with HC Davos.
As if Zadina’s plummeting stock as an NHL player weren’t enough, he also threw away a large amount of money.
In 2022, Zadina signed a three-year, $5.48 million contract, but after one season, the Red Wings waived him and he went unclaimed. Zadina was so done with the notion of returning to the AHL that he agreed to allow the Wings to terminate his contract, walking away from the remaining $4.56 million to become a UFA.
Zadina got a $1.1 million contract with the San Jose Sharks, the worst team in the league. This summer, along with the rest of the NHL, the Sharks opted not to sign him for this season.
Dorion can be criticized for a lot of decisions in his tenure as GM, but his verdict in the Tkachuk-Zadina debate was truly one of his best.
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