Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov is one of the more interesting players to get to know via Twitter.
Getting to know the Colorado Avalanche players is sometimes easiest via Twitter, whether it’s their own Twitter or, more commonly, the team, media, and other fans’ Twitter.
Well, if there’s one interesting character I think it would be fun to get to know better, it’s 23-year-old defenseman Nikita Zadorov. When the Avalanche acquired him in the Ryan O’Reilly trade three years ago, it was still up in the air if he’d be able to adjust his game and show enough maturity to be a force in the NHL.
By last season, he was showing himself to have leadership qualities. Not only did he and his young wife have a baby — no more oversleeping his alarm, he had a built-in one now — but he was often the most level-headed of our three line-steppers.
By the end of the season, I was calling Zadorov Erik Johnson‘s heir-apparent. And you know by now, that’s high praise coming from me.
Let’s look at some of the best tweets that help us get to know Big Z from the last year.
At the beginning of the season, the Colorado Avalanche released introductory videos for all the players. Here is Nikita Zadorov’s:
#⃣1⃣6⃣: Nikita Zadorov#GoAvsGo https://t.co/Jmb5xwodZi
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 5, 2017
My favorite part about this video is how all the players go into their bass voices to declare they call him “Z” or “Big Z.”
Nikita Zadorov eventually got to be known as one of the larger-than-life style Russian players. It started last summer, when Zadorov showed he’s got some of that Russian flashiness in his blood:
Money 💰 #workhardplayhard pic.twitter.com/JIfLcP0TqA
— Nikita Zadorov (@zadorov61) June 26, 2017
The selfie in the gym… well, at least he’s got his shirt on.
One year later, Zadorov was showing off his “money” — this time in the form of his tuxedoed self escorting his wife to a wedding:
Wedding with my 👸 pic.twitter.com/ZhxuQhqcQv
— Nikita Zadorov (@zadorov61) June 5, 2018
Fun fact: even though many Avs fans graciously wished the two of them “Congratulations,” they were attending someone else’s wedding — Zadorov was already married with a kid at the beginning of the season, remember?
Throughout the season, Zadorov became well-known for his fashion sense. And that notoriety was well-founded:
Z’s suit game 🔥🔥🔥#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/2GKYYdbrzL
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 10, 2018
Zadorov is apparently quite into fashion:
Avalanche fashionista Nikita Zadorov to celebrate his birthday in style https://t.co/YwEelTQycr
— Denver Post - Avs (@avsnews) April 15, 2018
Like Sven Andrighetto, he rarely if ever wore socks throughout the year.
His attention to fashion sense caught the attention to the We Rate NHL Twitter account:
This is Nikita Zadorov. Homeboy’s insta is private, which I can respect - but it made this ranking tough. However, the plaid POWER suit I’m seeing tells me everything I need to know.
— We Rate NHL (@WeRateNHL) April 2, 2018
14/10 pic.twitter.com/BZpxg5LmFC
These shoes are money:

Zadorov’s “money” also came through in interviews. Here he distills part of the game down to its essence:
Nikita Zadorov: “Good players, that’s why they’re good players. Because they score goals.”
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) February 2, 2018
Poetry.
You can’t argue with that.
Zadorov also displays the proper attitude about the Minnesota Wild:
@Avalanche Nikita Zadorov on playing @mnwild tonight: "I guess they hate us, we hate them. It's always fun to play against them, especially right now with the standings being close."
— Rick Sadowski (@RickS7) March 2, 2018
Yes, we do hate them. The Avs went on to spank the Wild 7-1, by the way.
One day in the dressing room, he randomly remarked the following:
I tried to use https://t.co/MEhzj2W9iK today and it was infuriating. It reminded me of the quote of the year from Nikita Zadorov. pic.twitter.com/7xhoi0HlEH
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) March 25, 2018
Apparently, he’s bulked up since then. I don’t know why NHL.com doesn’t properly update. Actually, there’s a lot about the site that I don’t like.
Speaking of bulk, never make a mistake — Nikita Zadorov’s “money” comes though in his hits. Here he is annihilating Ian Cole:
This is the hit from Nikita Zadorov on Ian Cole that sent the Blue Jackets to the power play.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 9, 2018
The Avalanche were able to kill off the penalty.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/vflJUVH20K
Here’s another one:
#Avalanche’s Zadorov laid this huge hit on #Stars’ Janmark. pic.twitter.com/quUBH4nr5P
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 4, 2017
I like the Caps, so I almost feel bad for TJ Oshie in this one — almost:
Blake Comeau hits TJ Oshie
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) November 17, 2017
John Carlson trains Blake Comeau
Nikita Zadorov runs over John Carlson pic.twitter.com/6wQQZWolHQ
I mean, at least it wasn’t Zadorov who hit him. Look how Z flattened John Carlson.
He kept it up in the playoffs:
Kevin Fiala headed to the locker room after this hit from Nikita Zadorov. pic.twitter.com/v8KpRe6VSc
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) April 19, 2018
Color me unsurprised:
BONUS #NHL STAT DU JOUR : Since the NHL started officially tracking hits in 2005, the most hits in any single game is 15 done by @Avalanche Nikita Zadorov last night versus @LAKings #avs
— Stan Nieradka (@smn013) March 23, 2018
Really unsurprised.
Zadorov still led the team in hits this season with 153. pic.twitter.com/9IhPZUJyO2
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 23, 2017
This is just rude, though:
Thanks to @BrandonSvitak for pointing this out. Somebody was having fun with Zadorov's incredible game. @Avalanche @AltitudeTV pic.twitter.com/BqrQRMeNhk
— Lauren Gardner (@LGRed) February 5, 2017
“Heat-seeking dump truck.”
Ok, technically (or literally) this tweet isn’t from last season. However, this is the gold standard of all Zadorov hit tweets:
When you try to stand up to the class bully, but it doesn't go the way you had hoped. pic.twitter.com/xjuujFR8Nr
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) January 22, 2017
Seriously, just stay on the ground.
Nikita Zadorov also has a soft side, as we saw at the annual Colorado Avalanche Charity Brunch:
Brynn and Z blow a kiss!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/lC9Ze6nJHy
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 11, 2018
Super cute:
@Avalanche @zadorov61 Your biggest, little fan! #donttellbernie #Brynn #GoAvsGo #Avs #BeatTheBlues pic.twitter.com/jFoKywmQQE
— Cody Schwab (@Schwab830) April 8, 2018
Finally, let’s take a few minutes to celebrate how Nikita Zadorov did last season:
Nikita Zadorov played in his fifth NHL season, including his 200th career game on February 22nd, 2018.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/L0v4qAMg6R
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 10, 2018
200 NHL games — that’s something.
Here’s something else:
Nikita Zadorov set career highs in goals, assists, points and games played.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/GVc18Hf6eF
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 10, 2018
Those 20 points were a career-high for Zadorov.
And Nikita Zadorov opened up the scoring in the playoffs:
NIKITA ZADOROV!
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 13, 2018
FIRST GOAL FIRST GOAL! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/zs7GZKqmKV
That was big. That was a way to state to the Predators and to the world that it was not a fluke that the Colorado Avalanche were playing playoff hockey.
Nikita Zadorov has become a big part of the Colorado Avalanche. He’s only 23 years old. As he continues to mature off the ice and bring that maturity on the ice — not to mention grow into his own as a defenseman — he has the potential to be a core player for the team.