Bruins Defenseman Brandon Carlo Says Nikita Zadorov's Heavy Hitting Will Boost Team's Physicality

The new-look Boston Bruins have D-man Brandon Carlo excited to start the season. He spoke to THN.com about new teammate Nikita Zadorov, his physicality and the 'D' corps.

The Boston Bruins made significant changes to their lineup this summer, but the biggest addition – literally – was UFA defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

The 6-foot-6, 248-pound Zadorov comes to the Bruins with center Elias Lindholm from the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, where they played together last season.

One of their new teammates, defenseman Brandon Carlo, said he is pumped up about the Bruins' signing joining the club. But he also discussed what adding Zadorov means for the team's defense group while at the NHL and NHLPA Player Media Tour last week in Vegas.

“Our ‘D’ corps is looking pretty good right now, and (Zadorov will) be a fun guy for me to learn from,” Carlo told THN.com's Michael Traikos. Even (Bruins blueliner) Hampus Lindholm coming in a couple of years ago – I like to look at those guys and do my best to learn from them with my own game. The way that Hampus is able to use his body, especially Zadorov, the way he used his body is definitely something I can learn from.”

With Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, Carlo and Zadorov, the Bruins have an imposing defense group that will make life significantly easier for Boston’s goaltenders and much more difficult for opponents. And Carlo believes the ‘D’ – that has increased size and snarl with Zadorov’s addition – is as big a strength for the team as any other element.

“We’re really large, and and I think it’ll be great,” Carlo said. “Boston’s going to love ‘Big Z’ – or ‘Little Z’. But (Zadorov’s) physicality is going to be awesome. I feel like it’ll kind of encourage and boost us to be more physical. I remember my very first year, (Zdeno Chara) was my defense partner and I would be pushing guys around in front of the net at times. And I remember after one period, he came up to me and he’s like, ‘You do whatever you want. I’m right here.’ ”

The Bruins finished the 2023-24 season with the NHL’s fifth-best defense, allowing just 2.70 goals per game. Combined in the last two seasons, Boston’s defense was the NHL’s best, conceding 2.41 goals per game. Clearly, defense is a key part of the B’s DNA, and Carlo acknowledged that.

“It’s vital,” Carlo said. ”Last year with our coaching situation as well, they did such a good job adjusting to the team and the identity that we had. We knew once we lost (Patrice) Bergeron and (David) Krejci, we’re not going to be the guys that are on the rush making the plays to a defenseman, three or four passes back-door, tap-ins like they were.

“So we kind of started getting in behind a little bit more, and then our forwards are doing a great job with the back pressure, allowing us as defensemen to have good gaps. And if you can do that, it shuts things down where you’re not even spending that much time in your ‘D’ zone in general.”

Michael Traikos and Jacob Stoller discussed whether the Bruins had the best group of defensemen in the Eastern Conference in a recent episode of The Hockey News Wraparound Show. Here's what they had to say:

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