Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov dove into why he chose to sign with the Original Six club.
Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov dove into why he chose to sign with the Original Six club.
Nikita Zadorov was one of the top free agents who hit the market on July 1. Because of this, the 6-foot-6 defender received plenty of interest around the league. In the end, he, of course, signed a six-year, $30 million contract with the Boston Bruins.
While speaking with Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org, Zadorov revealed that while the Vancouver Canucks were initially his top choice, he ended up choosing the Bruins because he felt Boston had the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup and was the best fit for his family.
Here is exactly what Zadorov said on the matter: "Money is great, but I want to win... The Bruins were the best option, both in terms of hockey, which is always a priority, and family."
It is certainly good to hear that Zadorov has high hopes for the Bruins. He clearly views his new club as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, and he seems incredibly motivated to help the Bruins hit that level.
Zadorov is a player who Bruins fans should be excited to see on the club. He is precisely the kind of mean, top-four shutdown defenseman they have needed for quite some time. He should make the Bruins far more challenging to go up against from here because of it.
In 75 regular-season games split between the Calgary Flames and Canucks in 2023-24, Zadorov posted six goals, 20 points, 102 penalty minutes, and 124 hits. He followed that up with a strong postseason, recording four goals, eight points, and a plus-3 rating in 13 playoff games for Vancouver.
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