To think the impact of Nikita Zadorov’s signing by the Bruins will be comparable to that of Zdeno Chara 18 years ago would be unfair to both Zadorov and to what Chara accomplished as a Bruin.
Chara’s signing is arguably the best free agent signing in hockey history and, to Zadorov’s credit, the B’s newest blue line beast has shut down any comparisons to the future Hall of Famer. “Don’t call me Big Z,” Zadorov has famously said.
But make no mistake. The Bruins hope and believe the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder will help change the B’s fortunes come playoff time. And Zadorov wants to reach the same mountaintop as Chara, who was instrumental in ending a 39-year Stanley Cup drought.
“That’s the main focus on why did I sign here. Because I want the best chance to win a championship,” said Zadorov on Monday. “I really invest in what I do and I’m putting all my heart into everything and I’m bound here for six years. And I want to put my heart into being a Bruin and to win a Stanley Cup here.”
Zadorov, who makes his offseason home in Florida, met Boston reporters for the first time at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday. The defenseman, who signed a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million, arrived in town on Saturday night with his wife Alexandra and two young daughters (Sophie and Stephanie) to do some house-hunting, check out the local schools and soak up some culture, including the North End.
“I had really good pasta. I hope I’m not going to go there many times. It’ super heavy, but it’s super good,” said the Moscow native with a laugh.
He also showed off his new Bruin sweater and explained the significance of the No. 91 he chose, last worn by Marc Savard.
“Upside down 16? Yeah, I wore 16 my whole life,” said Zadorov. “It’s the worst part of playing for an Original Six team because a lot of numbers are retired and have a lot of history.”
He also reminisced about his first NHL goal. It came 11 years ago when he was a member of the Buffalo Sabres. And it came against the Bruins.
“(Brad Marchand) Marchy was on the ice so he took a minus. I’ll let him know,” said the grinning Zadorov.
It’s that little bit of edge, that swagger that Zadorov brings to the table that attracted the Bruins to him, as well as the molar-rattling hits for which he’s become famous. With his size, the physicality is one of the most important tools in his arsenal. But he’s had to learn over the years when exactly to use it.
“Sometimes when I was young, I was going for the hits when I didn’t need to. Sometimes it’s better to have a good stick to prevent the pass going through. So it’s definitely a learning point for me,” said Zadorov. “You want to be physical. It frustrates the other team and it gets your team going and it’s important for close plays. I can use it. I’ve got size. And it elevates my game when I’m sharp, I’m physical and at the top of my game.”
The 29-year-old Zadorov, the Sabres’ 16th overall pick in 2013, said he’s still looking to smooth out some of the volatility to his game.
“Consistency I think is the most important thing for a D-man. I think it took me some time to figure some stuff out on the ice. You don’t want to be a high-risk player, you want to be more consistent in how you prepare yourself,” said Zadorov. “Especially at my size, I’m pretty noticeable on the ice when I’m playing bad, and I’m pretty noticeable when I’m playing good. So I’m trying to find the sweet spot in the middle. Joe Sakic was my GM a few years back (in Colorado) and he told me (Nicklas) Lidstrom was always saying ‘Out of 10 games, if you have eight A games and two B games, then you’re going to be a really good defenseman in this league.’”
Zadorov seemed to put it all together after being dealt from Calgary to Vancouver in his playoff run with the Canucks when he had four goals and four assists while being a going physical concern in 13 post-season games.
“Coaching helps. Obviously, I like to learn new stuff, I like to listen to new people and I like to adjust as well,” said Zadorov. “It was just a good fit in Vancouver right away. And playoffs are fun. I’m trying to elevate my game during playoff time. I just enjoy it so much. I like the pressure, I like the big stakes. And playoffs in Canada hits different as well. It was super fun, it was enjoyable, it was really emotional for me. And it helps me when it’s like that.”
If Zadorov can duplicate that performance next spring for the Bruins, maybe it will get the B’s over the playoff hump. If so, maybe then he’ll feel comfortable with people calling him Big Z.
