New Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov will be hard to miss on the ice. He measures in at 6-foot-6, 248 pounds. He will be one of the most physical players out there every shift. He’s a much better skater than you might expect a player his size to be. He has a hard shot that is exactly what you’d expect from a player that size.
His mistakes will also be hard to miss, something Zadorov himself knows all too well.
“I’m pretty noticeable on the ice when I’m playing bad, and I’m pretty noticeable when I’m playing good,” Zadorov said Monday at Warrior Ice Arena at his introductory press conference.
Zadorov is an aggressive player, but has been known to take himself out of position chasing a big hit at times. Sometimes he tries to do a little too much with the puck on his stick. He takes a lot of penalties, ranking in the top 10 in the NHL last season in both total penalties and minor penalties.
It’s an area where Zadorov believes his game has taken the biggest strides over his decade in the NHL, and why he identifies consistency as the No. 1 thing he continues to focus on as he moves to the Bruins at age 29, in the prime years of his career.
“Consistency. I think it's the most important thing for a D-man,” Zadorov said. “I think it took me some time to figure some stuff out on the ice when you don't want to be a high-risk player. You want to be more consistent in how you prepare yourself.
“…Joe Sakic was my GM a few years back [in Colorado], and he told me that [Nicklas] Lidstrom used to have these sayings like, out of 10 games you can have eight A games and two B games, then you’re gonna be a really good defenseman in this league. So you have to focus on that.
“It took me some time to adjust myself, how I prepare myself for the game, how I mentally prepare and physically and practices and everything. It's all combined to be a successful, consistent defenseman in this league, so I think my past coaches, past three coaches, they were able to help with that a lot.”
The Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney were not blind to Zadorov’s past inconsistency when they committed six years and $30 million to him shortly after free agency opened last Monday. But Sweeney and Boston’s pro scouts have also seen the same growth in his game that Zadorov identified.
“He has certainly seen his game grow and probably get a little more defined in what he's capable of doing,” Sweeney said last week. “Early in his career, he had a lot of nights out to try and make an impact, and he made it for both teams at times, like all young players do that are aggressive in that sense. Now he really understands his game and what he brings to the table.”
And make no mistake, the Bruins still want Zadorov to play aggressive and physical. His tone-setting hits and the strength to win battles down low and in front of the net are a big reason the Bruins targeted him in the first place. Sweeney identified Zadorov’s “presence” and “swagger” as pluses.
Zadorov knows there is a time and place for everything, though, and he has gotten more confident in his ability to identify when and where that is.
“It's experience and maturity,” Zadorov said. “Sometimes when I was young, I was going for the hits when I didn't need to. Sometimes it's better to have your good stick or prevent the passes going through and all that. So, it's definitely a learning point for me. You want to be physical. I think it frustrates the other team, it gets your team going, and it's important for close plays because I can use it, I got size. And it elevates my game when I'm sharp and physical and on top of my game, for sure.”
One other thing that will stand out about Zadorov in a Bruins uniform: his number. At Monday’s introductory press conference, the team revealed that Zadorov will wear number 91, making him just the second 91 in Bruins history after Marc Savard.
His reason for choosing the unique number? It’s his usual 16 upside-down. No. 16 is retired in Boston for Rick Middleton, just as it was in Vancouver for Trevor Linden. He made the switch to 91 with the Canucks this past season and liked how his season went, so he’s sticking with it in Boston.
He does owe Savard a text, though.
“I know Marc Savard wore it,” Zadorov said. “He was my coach last year [in Calgary], so I have to text Savvy that I stole his number.”