The Boston Bruins added precisely what they wished to their defensive unit within the type of Nikita Zadorov.
The hulking 29-year-old defenseman, who resembles Zdeno Chara since he stands at 6-foot-6 and 248 kilos, brings snarl and talent the Bruins want on the blue line.
Zadorov additionally appears like an excellent match to play alongside Charlie McAvoy on Boston’s prime defensive pairing.
That actually sounds good to Zadorov, who admired McAvoy from afar earlier than signing a six-year, $30 million deal Monday to hitch the Bruins.
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“With Charlie, I’ve been watching him quite a bit,” Zadorov instructed reporters, per team-provided video. “He’s one among my favourite D-man within the league, for positive. The way in which he performs, he’s received some grit. When he hits open-ice hits, I believe that may match properly with me. He performed unbelievable within the Toronto sequence. It was undoubtedly enjoyable to look at.
“I received to go up there and simply complement him, assist him to be good. Possibly he can create one thing a bit bit extra offensively as properly as a result of he can belief in me to be behind him, assist him and be aggressive. I like his aggressiveness as properly. I believe it’s essential on this league so you possibly can kill performs rapidly after which don’t let the crew a lot time within the D-zone, impartial zone, shut issues fast. I believe that’s essential, for positive. We’ll see. When camp goes on, we’re most likely achieve extra chemistry collectively and that’s fairly essential.”
Pairing Zadorov and McAvoy collectively might assist the Bruins star play freer and open up his recreation as he enters his eighth NHL season. Whereas McAvoy has had success, he has but to constantly take over video games like many anticipated when Boston drafted him 14th total in 2016.
After ending within the prime 5 in Norris voting for 2 straight seasons, McAvoy took a slight step again final season when he tallied a career-high 12 objectives with 35 assists for 47 factors — his lowest complete because the 2020-21 marketing campaign.
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Maybe a bruising defenseman like Zadorov who can care for a few of McAvoy’s tasks, particularly within the protection finish, would be the key to unlocking McAvoy. And it appears at the very least the Bruins will give the 2 a shot at taking part in collectively.
“(Zadorov’s) exits are good. He’s a transporter, discovering center ice which is one thing (coach Jim Montgomery) likes to do. So his first-pass capability I believe enhances,” Bruins normal supervisor Don Sweeney instructed reporters, per NESN. “Charlie will get a number of concentrate on the forecheck and takes some bodily hits on account of that. I believe (Zadorov) can perhaps hold a few of these flies off at instances and in addition complement in a puck-moving standpoint. So the 2 guys can cowl a number of ice and play in matchup in any method on the highway or not.”
