According to numerous sources, the Boston Bruins have agreed to a six-year, $30 million contract with Nikita Zadorov, adding a top-four defenseman to their blue line on the first day of NHL free agency.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, there is a $5 million salary cap charge on the contract. Elias Lindholm, a free agency centre, and the Boston Bruins are said to have reached a seven-year, $54.25 million agreement on Monday.
One of the Bruins’ priorities going into free agency was a left-shot defenseman, and they’ve solved that need by adding Zadorov. The 28-year-old defenseman scored 20 points in 75 games between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames during the previous campaign (six goals, 14 assists). He was acquired by the Canucks from the Flames prior to the March trade deadline.
Throughout their two-round 2024 playoff run, Vancouver’s top players included the Russian defenceman. He played solid defence in 13 postseason games with the Canucks, scoring eight points (four goals, four assists).
Zadorov won’t provide offensive numbers that are truly astounding. He’ll always bring tenacity, defence, and penalty killing to the rink. At 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds, he is a physically formidable player. He tosses his weight in front of the net and in the corners.
He will actually provide the Bruins with many of the same abilities and qualities as Derek Forbort did. However, Zadorov has greater offensive potential and is three years younger than Forbort. In addition, he is more resilient than Forbort, who has missed a lot of games over the past two years because of injuries.
Zadorov, Parker Wotherspoon, Mason Lohrei, and Hampus Lindholm are now the Bruins’ players on the left side of their blue line.
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