Report: Sabres' Zadorov would rather play in KHL than OHL
The Buffalo Sabres and Nikita Zadorov appear to be at odds over the young defenseman's immediate future.
The Sabres want the 19-year-old to develop his game with the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights, the junior team he played for when he was drafted 16th overall by the club in 2013.
Zadorov and his agent, however, have a different plan.
Zadorov's agent has informed the Sabres his client would rather play in the KHL and there are likely millions of reasons why that makes sense for the kid.
But the NHL-CHL agreement is clear: Zadorov is supposed to be sent back to the OHL if he's not on the Sabres' roster. And in this instance, that also happens to be the wish of the NHL club. So when the Sabres get around to re-assigning Zadorov, and they will, we'll see if there are any issues on his final destination for this season.
Junior-eligible players have a full year burned off their entry-level contract once they reach the 10-game mark in a single season. Zadorov has played in only one game so far, seeing 6:12 of ice time.
The Sabres appear to be buying some time in order to figure things out and ensure all parties are satisfied with Zadorov's assignment.