Bruins fans are going to love their free-agent defenseman | Matt Vautour
BOSTON — He’s big. He’s funny and he’s physical. He plays with a swagger. He reveres Zdeno Chara and is already knowledgeable about the Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics.
Boston is going to love Nikita Zadorov.
The fans didn’t need to hear him speak to like him. Just watching him would sell most Bruins fans on the free-agent defenseman their team signed on Monday.
Anyone who stayed up to watch Canucks playoff games earlier this year realized how much harder he made Vancouver to play against when he was on the ice. Anyone who just searched Zadorov on YouTube could see how much his legality-tight-roping physicality could put opponents on edge. He plays how Boston fans want the Bruins to play.
For all their size on defense last year, the Bruins’ four guys who were 6-foot-4 or taller — Brandon Carlo, Hampus Lindholm, Mason Lohrei and Derek Forbort — were good players, but not especially intimidating. Their nastiest defender was 6-foot-1 Charlie McAvoy, who was willing to play like a linebacker in the body of a cornerback.
By comparison, Zadorov is an edge rusher and he’s mean. He’s 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds and he uses it. Opposing forwards hurry out of corners – if they’ve entered them at all – when he’s on the ice hunting hits.
That style of play will win over lots of fans in Boston, where the Big Bad Bruins of old are still icons, for not just their success but their style of play. Fans will forgive an occasional ill-timed penalty if it means having a guy, who puts fear into opponents.
Zadorov could just shut up and hit people and he’d have fans lining up to buy him a beer.
But he did talk Monday and his first impression is likely to be a hit.
Speaking to the media, he either knew about Boston sports already or had done his homework on the topic, which he brought up unprompted. Either the knowledge or the effort will earn him points.
“It’s unbelievable. The city is probably the best sports city in the United States. You got the Celtics. They won this year. They always have a really good team and unbelievable history in the past. The Red Sox as well. I’m not a big baseball guy,” the Russian said. “But from what I’m hearing, the rivalry against the Yankees and all that and obviously the Pats, Tom Brady and the Belichick dynasty. The Bruins, the past and Bobby Orr, and the 2011 Cup. They’re the city of winners and the fans expect you to win and do good every year. I like the challenges. … It’s always fun when you embrace the challenge and expect high expectations. You just bring your best every night, and I think that’s a perfect place for me, and I will fit right in for sure.”
He figures to be the Bruins’ biggest and most intimidating defenseman since Zdeno Chara. But the comparison is one of the few things that makes Zadorov uneasy. He reveres Chara.
“Please do not ever call me “Big Z” now because I mean, I feel like I’m not even close to half of the ‘Big Z.’ He was unbelievable,” said Zadorov, who called Chara a role model. “He’s one of the best defensemen of all time.”
But he hoped to learn from the retired former captain who is still a presence in the city and around the Bruins, and looked forward to playing in the culture and style Chara helped establish.
“I think Boston was on top of my list my whole life. It’s an unbelievable organization, Original Six team,” Zadorov said. ” I feel like the Bruins’ style… I always loved watching it. My second NHL game was against Boston, and they had those big guys, Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton., the tough, hard team to play against. So it was always, one day it would be a great fit for me to come and play for the Bruins. I’m super thankful for the opportunity from the organization to get the deal done and everything, and I’m super excited to join the Bruins.”
