At What Point Can Filip Zadina Be Considered A Bust?
By Evan Mead
Filip Zadina Before the Draft
When Filip Zadina was entering the NHL entry draft in 2018, he was considered one of the top prospects in the draft. This is what one of the scouts had to say:
"Filip Zadina is a dynamic offensive forward that plays a complete game. A deft and agile skater, he exhibits explosive mobility both up and down the ice. In all three zones, he proactively looks to create problems for the opposition. His awareness is indicative of his high level of hockey sense, and he knows how to make plays and scoring chances materialize. Has a goal scorer’s toolbox, complete with the individual puck skills that one comes to expect from today’s elite offensive players. The accurate release on his shot is noteworthy and is a defining aspect of his offensive capabilities. Defensively sound, he disrupts lanes and pressures the opposition to make hasty decisions; he is tenacious in pursuit of puck control and transitions up-ice naturally. All-in-all, Zadina can be categorized as both a two-way forward with a well-rounded game and a dominant offensive force. (Curtis Joe, EP 2018)"
As you can figure, he was liked by a majority of the scouts. I mean, if he wasn’t liked by many scouts, he wouldn’t have gone as high as he did in the draft. Furthermore, there was a reason why he was drafted in the first-round and it’s not because he was a crappy, no good, player.
Looking back to his time before the draft, he did nothing but produce. Leading up to his first season in the QMJHL, he was playing in Czechia. In those previous seasons with HC Dynamo Pardubice, he played in 20 games. In those 20 games he had nine goals and nine assists for 18 total points. However, if you thought that was good, his numbers in the QMJHL were even better.
In his one and only season in the QMJHL he played in 57 games. In those 57 games he produced 44 goals and 38 assists for 82 total points.
Orginially, there was some concern on rather or not he could actually move over and play in the QMJHL and do well. It’s safe to say that he did.