The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman Nikita Zadorov to a 6-year, $30 million deal, according to Elliotte Friedman.
Zadorov, the 16th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, has played 642 games in the NHL. He spent two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, five with the Colorado Avalanche, one with the Chicago Blackhawks, and two-and-a-half with the Calgary Flames before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline last season.
What Zadorov Can Do
If you look at his player profile, it becomes very apparent what Zadorov brings to the table. Standing 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds, he is a hulking presence on any back end that he plays on. That kind of size equates to the reach that defensemen everywhere drool over.
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What Zadorov really brings to the table is a mean, physical presence. He more than uses his size to his advantage, throwing massive hits from time to time that leave opposing forwards hesitant to cross the blue line.
Zadorov has averaged between 17 and 18 minutes per night over the last few years, so he isn’t going to be a key component of the defense. As a bottom-pairing guy, he adds a good dose of size and physicality to the equation. Those things make a defensive corps tougher to play against even if he isn’t logging the kind of monster minutes that former teammates Cale Makar, Noah Hanafin, and Quinn Hughes do.
Fit with the Bruins
It really is quite simple what Zadorov will bring to the Bruins. In 11 years as a pro, Zadorov has developed a well-earned reputation for being a physical presence on the blue line. He is good at feeling the situation and catching opposing players off guard.
He could prove beneficial offensively to some degree, having scored 14 goals in 2022-23. For the most part, he is going to be counted on to make the defense tougher to play against in his own zone and will stand up for teammates if need be.
Zadorov’s natural role as a fifth or sixth defenseman is perfect for what he offers. His read/react game isn’t great, and he can be caught out of position, especially when trying to lay one of those massive hits. Though it is never ideal, those mistakes aren’t quite as massive when playing 18-19 minutes per night compared to top pairing minutes. With Boston, he could see the ice more but will benefit from being in a stronger overall system.
