
Nikita Zaitsev struggled last season. He was demoted to the AHL for a month by the Senators, missed time due to injury and was ultimately traded in a salary dump to the Blackhawks.
After the season, however, instead of going home to Russia, Zaitsev instead went to Florida — a popular summer destination for many Russian NHL players. And in Florida, working with a new trainer for the first time, the 31-year-old defenseman realized what might have been the cause of those struggles.