Bruins
“He’s big, he’s mean, he doesn’t care. It’s a predator out there. »
Nikita Zadorov is expected to make his Bruins debut Tuesday night. John Tumacki/Globe Staff
What word to describe Nikita Zadorov?
Charlie Coyle cringed at this question.
“Oh, my God,” the Bruins center said. “There are a lot of words I think you could use for him.”
There was far from consensus among the Bruins regulars who shared a bench with Zadorov — or who were the targets of a crushing hit from the 6-foot-6 defenseman.
“Presence,” said Elias Lindholm, who was Zadorov’s teammate in Calgary and Vancouver.
“Brutal,” Morgan Geekie added.
“Huge,” said Trent Frederic, who dropped the gloves with Zadorov in February 2023.
“Scary,” said an anonymous Bruin. “This guy is [expletive] scary.”
Zadorov’s reputation precedes him after 11 seasons in the NHL. Given his imposing figure and propensity for inflicting punishment, the 29-year-old defenseman stands out as one of the most intimidating skaters in the NHL.
“I like hockey in general,” Zadorov said. “It’s obviously physical. It’s a little easier for a guy my size to be physical and try to close out plays, intimidate players, piss them off and all that. This is my role and I assume it.
Zadorov’s willingness to be a battering ram is one of the reasons the Bruins gave him a six-year, $30 million contract on the first day of free agency in July. But that’s far from the only reason.
“He’s big. He’s mean. He’s angry,” Charlie McAvoy said. “He has talent. It has everything you need, I think. You have to know when he’s on the ice. I think he’s someone you really want to have on your team.
Zadorov may not be a player who opposes opposing coaches’ game plans in the same vein as offensive stars such as David Pastrnak and Connor McDavid. But the looming fear ahead of an on-ice meeting with Zadorov is shared in many locker rooms.
“He’s a guy we talked about a lot before our game,” Bruins forward Tyler Johnson said. “Just a little bit: ‘Hey, you need to watch out for this guy. He will hit you.
“There are times where you might be in the middle, thinking no one is on you, and then he skates by, trying to blow you up.”
Zadorov has topped 175 hits in six of his 11 NHL seasons, including a league-high 278 with the Avalanche in 2017-18.
In the battle of attrition that is the Stanley Cup playoffs, having a skater capable of softening opposing puck carriers and maintaining order in the middle of the ice is an asset.
“Every now and then, whether I’m browsing Instagram or whatever, I just see highlights of him and his big hits,” Coyle said. “There’s been so much talk about it lately. »
The images of Zadorov launching his opponents into the stratosphere, crushing them into glass, and trading right hooks with Pat Maroon are what come to mind when mapping the impact of the D-man.
But in his battles with Zadorov, Geekie remembers scraps and pushes along the boards with the same trepidation as a hit on the ice.
“He’s not afraid to play a little bit at that level,” Geekie said. “I felt like I was against him every time I went on the ice. It just wasn’t fun. His stick is heavy and he’s a big boy. So every time you go there, you get into a battle.
“He’s big, he’s mean, he doesn’t care,” Brad Marchand said. “It’s a predator out there. I really loved playing against him and I hated it.
If there was one thing agreed upon in the Bruins locker room, it was that a specific highlight defined Zadorov’s unique skill set.
“I think I remember him blasting a guy — and taking the puck and going all the way and scoring,” Brandon Carlo said.
“He’s got a really good shot,” Lindholm said. “What comes to mind is probably the playoffs. [Vancouver] where he broke a few going down the wall.
Zadorov’s strength may lie in his physical play, but he is far from a black hole in the offensive zone. While most big-bodied defensemen are considered stay-at-home types, Zadorov can inject some offense.
“I’m not a Cale Makar – a very high IQ, high skill offensive defenseman,” Zadorov noted. “But I know my strengths and I can also contribute offensively.”
Zadorov has four 20-point seasons in his career, including 2022-23, when he scored a career-high 14 goals with the Flames. He recorded four goals and 8 points in 13 playoff games with Vancouver last spring, averaging 20:09 of playing time.
On a team already featuring talented defenders like McAvoy and Mason Lohrei, Zadorov doesn’t need to be the primary offensive channel from the backline.
“I think he’s going to surprise you with his ability to make plays,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I’m not just talking about scoring goals, but playing on the offensive blue line. His hockey sense and brain are very good. It’s much better than people give it credit for.
Zadorov’s mobility might be his most undervalued asset.
“Big, heavy players usually don’t move very well,” Lindholm said. “So he’s definitely underrated in that way, where people probably think you can probably beat him wide or take him one-on-one. But he moves very well there.
Zadorov’s skating ability can also help limit grueling D-zone reps for his defensive partner.
“I think people see the size and only think of one thing, right?” said Frederick. “I feel like this happens to me sometimes while fighting. If you fight a lot, you’re a fool. I know he has that physical element, his size and everything, but he brings a lot of skill.
Zadorov’s talent for getting the puck out with a clean first pass or carrying it into the neutral zone should make life easier for his teammates. But make no mistake, he’ll feel better when he’s making life miserable for anyone not wearing a black and gold sweater.
“My physical game is not going to disappear,” Zadorov said. “That’s why I’m in the league. That’s why people pay me money. That’s why they signed me. That’s my goal.
This arrangement should make him a fan favorite on Causeway Street.
“I’m just looking forward to going there and seeing if they’re going to like me or not,” Zadorov said.
There may not be a single word to sum up Zadorov’s game. But it won’t take long for consensus to be reached on his reception in Boston – especially after he dished out another hit on the ice at TD Garden.
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