The Boston Bruins made some big signings when free agency began on July 1. After barely having any cap space last summer, general manager Don Sweeney had just over $20 million on the table this time around. Most of that will go towards re-signing restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman, but even with that contract in mind, the team should be able to make a big buck.
The Bruins' biggest need this offseason was to acquire a top center, but they also needed to add depth to their defensive line. The centerpiece of their defense is top-tier talent in Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Hampus Lindholm and rookie Mason Lawley, who had a strong postseason performance. But beyond those four, there are many question marks.
RELATED: Bruins' Ullmark trade could have unintended impact on 2024-25 season
Matt Grzelik struggled under head coach Jim Montgomery and was left out of the playoff rotation for the second straight year. Another reserve, Derek Forbort, also struggled with injuries last season. It's no surprise that both players signed with other teams this month. Additionally, Kevin Shattenkirk, Parker Wotherspoon and Ian Mitchell all appeared in the rotation on various occasions last season, but only Wotherspoon really impressed. Andrew Peek was acquired at the trade deadline and performed well in a small sample size before suffering an injury in the postseason.
Enter Nikita Zadorov, who the Bruins signed to a six-year, $30 million contract. At 6-foot-5, the 29-year-old Zadorov would certainly fit in with the size of the team's defensive line (Lindholm, Roley and Carlo are all 6-foot-4 or taller) and would fit nicely into the team's depth.
The Road to the NHL
Zadorov was born on April 16, 1995 in Moscow, Russia. He played one season as a junior in Russia's premier junior league, the MHL, where most of the teams are affiliated with adult professional leagues, primarily the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). However, Zadorov made the transition to North American hockey much sooner than players from Russia usually do.
In 2012-13, Zadorov joined the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL's) three major junior leagues. That season, Zadorov appeared in 63 games, recording 25 points and a plus-33 rating. He was also named to the 2013 OHL All-Rookie Team.
Zadorov was a big favorite heading into the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The left-handed defenseman was highly regarded for his size and ability as a shutdown defenseman. Given his skill, size and potential, he was projected to be a first-round pick and possibly even a top-10 pick.
Buffalo Sabres
Zadorov was eventually selected 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres. He began the 2013-14 NHL season at age 18, scoring his first NHL goal in his second career game. Against? The Boston Bruins. After seven games, he returned to the Knights for the 2013-14 season and played for Team Russia in the World Junior Championships, scoring four goals and five points in seven games, helping Russia win the bronze medal.
The following season, 2014-15, Zadorov spent his entire NHL career with Buffalo, appearing in 60 games and recording three goals and 15 points. That season, Zadorov recorded the most hits of any rookie defenseman with 134. He also set a record at the time as the youngest defenseman in Sabres history to score a goal in overtime.
Following that season, Zadorov was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in June 2015 as part of the trade that sent Ryan O'Reilly to Buffalo. He was a key part of the Avalanche's return, and although he had his ups and downs, his start with the Sabres laid the foundation for him to become the player he wants to be in the NHL – an aggressive, intimidating presence on the ice.
Colorado Avalanche
Zadorov began the 2015-16 season with Colorado, but was traded to the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League (AHL) in November of that year. There were concerns about his maturity, and the Avalanche quickly lost faith in him and demoted him after 11 games, despite many believing him to be a talented defenseman who needed to mature and be better coached.
He played 52 games in the AHL that season, but only appeared in 22 with the Avalanche. He remained in the NHL through the 2016-17 season, appearing in 56 games. However, it wasn't until the 2017-18 season, when he appeared in 77 games and scored seven goals, that Zadorov scored his first goal with the Avalanche.
Zadorov spent a total of five seasons with the Avalanche organization, but it’s worth noting that early in his career the Avalanche were rebuilding and only managed to collect 48 points during the 2016-17 season. He was part of the team throughout its transition from the worst team in the league to one of the best, and he saw his game improve and mature.
He has found particular success paired with Erik Johnson, whose style of play relies on size and aggressive play, which can be controversial at times, but is most effective when paired with a more reliable defenseman who has more freedom to move around the ice.
Chicago Blackhawks & Calgary Flames
In the fall of 2020, prior to the start of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Zadorov was traded along with defenseman Anton Lindholm to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Brandon Saad and Dennis Gilbert. Colorado was overstocked on defense and needed some offensive reinforcements, so Zadorov was not needed.
Once again, Zadorov was on a team about to begin a major rebuild. His one season in Chicago was unremarkable as the team struggled in the shortened season, appearing in 55 games but scoring just one goal and eight points total. He was still a very strong player, but wasn't a priority to return for a rebuilding team (and they needed more money).
After the 2020-21 season, Zadorov signed a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Calgary Flames and had the best season of his career. He averaged the lowest ice time of his career (16 minutes, 55 seconds) but still managed to score four goals and 22 points. This was the second time he had scored over 20 points in his career, the first time being in the 2017-18 season when he recorded exactly 20 points. He then signed a two-year contract to remain in Calgary and had another strong season in the 2021-22 season followed by the 2022-23 season, scoring 14 goals in 82 games. His average ice time per night increased by almost two minutes, placing him in the top four defensemen.
His time in Calgary saw him make valuable strides in his game and become a more reliable top-tier defenseman, but no one expected him to stay there long-term.
Vancouver Canucks
Things started to get bad between Zadorov and the Flames last season. He played mostly on the third pairing and asked for a trade early in the 2023-24 season. The team had a disappointing start to the season and didn't get much better after that, and Zadorov's team was close to rebuilding and not a legitimate championship contender. In November 2023, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick.
Zadorov had a great season in Vancouver, scoring five goals and nine points in 54 games – all five of those goals came at even strength – but the most impressive part of his tenure with the Canucks came in the playoffs, when he recorded four goals and eight points in 13 games and averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time per night, well above his career average of 18:05.
Vancouver was interested in re-signing him, but ultimately decided the Bruins were the team that gave them the best chance to win a championship. It's also worth noting that Zadorov is coming to Boston with Elias Lindholm, who he played with in both Vancouver and Calgary.
Is it a good fit for Boston?
Zadorov wanted to play for a championship contender and win a Stanley Cup. From past reports, it's clear he wanted to play for a championship contender after spending most of his career with teams in the midst of or on the brink of a rebuild. It makes sense he went to Boston, which boasts the longest playoff streak in the NHL and has a very good chance of remaining competitive next season.
Zadorov will be entering his 12th NHL season this fall, and it's been an interesting journey so far. The former first-round draft pick has played for six different teams and been involved in three trades. The longest he's ever been with one team was five seasons, so if he plays out the full length of this contract, Boston will be his longest tenure with the team.
Over the last 12 years, his game has matured and grown. He's gotten smarter and isn't taking the careless penalties that he did in his earlier seasons. His physicality, which has been what has gotten him the most attention so far, is still there, but his puck movement and overall situational awareness have also improved. His playoff performance also shows that he is ready for more responsibility and can be a player who can play 20+ minutes per game. In the postseason, he also showed that he can contribute more offensively in the right situation. This is an area of his game that he wants to further develop. He can be a legitimate top-four defenseman on any team in the NHL.
RELATED: Bruins' Trent Frederic expected to have breakout season in 2024-25
The addition of Zadorov gives the Bruins options. He's an upgrade on the left side. With him, Lindholm (Hamps, not Elias) and Lorey, the left side would be covered by all three. This gives the coaching staff a chance to mix and match and really figure out who works well together. Zadorov is a legitimate option to play with McAvoy and their styles should match up well.
This is a great deal for the Bruins that should pay dividends beyond the 2024-25 season. I wish this was a four-year deal, as I'm not a big fan of six-plus year deals in most cases, but free agency leads to bigger contracts and salaries than typically expected. Ultimately, Zadorov's contract is a good one for a free agent deal, and will be viewed even more favorably if he performs better than advertised. This was the deal they needed to acquire a piece that will almost certainly provide a lot of solutions and help them be competitive in the playoffs.
