Bruins Notes: Zadorov, Zacha, Eyssimont, Jokiharju - Pro Hockey Rumors

“I want to play meaningful NHL hockey,” said a confident Eyssimont, prior to the six-hour bus ride to Hershey. “That’s the main thing for me. I believe I can help a team win. And until that opportunity comes, I am going to continue to do the work I’ve been doing, stay confident and professional, and my NHL opportunity will come again.”Eyssimont and Jokiharju, who have combined for 729 NHL games, went unclaimed when waived by the Bruins prior to the regular season. Boston opted to work young prospects into the order, with Matt Potiras and James Hagens ahead of Eyssimont, 30, up front, and Frederic Brunet ahead of Jokiharju, 27, on the back end. Get Sports AlertsThe latest sports news and Globe's most interesting reporting and commentary right to your inbox. Enter EmailWhen asked by a Globe reporter Thursday if they have requested trades, both politely declined to comment. “It’s just, you know, if you ask most people that question, they’ll go in one direction,” mused Jokiharju. “But I’m just not [going to] comment — I’m just gonna stay out of trouble.”“I’m not focused on anything but my game and playing,” said Eyssimont.

There was some concern that Senators forward William Eklund’s ankle injury was going to carry an extended recovery period.  That is indeed the case as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that the youngster will miss 10-12 weeks after undergoing successful surgery to repair a torn tendon on Wednesday.  Eklund was Ottawa’s key acquisition this summer, coming over in a pre-draft swap with San Jose for a package that included the ninth overall selection.  Coming off two straight seasons of recording more than 50 points, Eklund was off to a quiet start before the injury, collecting two points in four games.  It’ll be a while yet before he has a chance to add to those totals. Bruins center Pavel Zacha exited last night’s game against Anaheim due to an undisclosed injury, notes WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin (Twitter link). The injury occurred near the midway mark of the third period after a hit from Drew Helleson; there was no update on his status following the game.  Zacha currently projects to be one of the unrestricted top free agent centers next summer if he doesn’t re-sign beforehand on the heels of a breakout 65-point season.

It was an eventful weekend for the Boston Bruins' bruising defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Friday night, he took an unnecessary double-minor against the Anaheim Ducks for roughing up Frank Vatrano not once, but twice. Nikita Zadorov really doubled down on Frank Vatrano 😬 (via @sportsonprime) https://t.co/B44rDIgar8— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 17, 2026

When the Boston Bruins signed Nikita Zadorov to a contract a couple of summers ago, general manager Don Sweeney got what he had been looking for: a big, physical defenseman who fits the mold of how the Bruins play. The last two seasons, he's been big for the Black and Gold on the backend, even when the Bruins struggled through a rough 2024-25 regular season. Some see him as a potential locker room leader. That might be the case, but he hasn't looked like it so far in 2026-27. However, he has slowly been making very undisciplined decisions on the ice, and his penalty troubles continue on a nightly basis. After his performance on Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks, second-year head coach Marco Sturm has had enough. Bruins make defenseman Nikita Zadorov a healthy scratch against the KingsIf there is one thing that we learned about Marco Sturm in his first year as head coach, it's that he isn't afraid to sit a veteran to send a message. We saw it last season with Casey Mitttlestadt last year, also in October, and the results were much better after that. Sturm decided to sit Zadorov against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night, and he didn't beat around the bush as to why.

Boston Bruins fans will always have a soft spot for a large defenseman who attempts to take people's heads off when he gets mad. Nikita Zadorov throws at least one hit per game where you fear for the other player's safety, and in true Boston fashion, we love it. However, when multiple frustrating things outweigh those one or two hits, we might be developing a problem. My biggest concern with Zadorov is that he is visibly struggling to keep up with a game that is only getting faster. The big man may have some great straight-line speed when he gets a full head of steam, but when shifty forwards force him to move laterally, Jeremy Swayman or Michael DiPietro may as well guarantee that a chance is coming their way. Sometimes Zadorov manages to ride a player off into the boards or stick a hip out, but the opposition is starting to figure out how to exploit his lack of agility, and it is becoming a massive problem for Boston's rush defense. Zadorov knows it too, and when players start beating him, his frustration causes even more problems.

Richard Butler, seen here batting with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999, is facing fraud charges in Durham region. A former Toronto Blue Jays player and his wife are accused of siphoning money from a youth baseball training program into their own accounts before feigning bankruptcy, police say. Richard Butler, a Toronto-born outfielder who played with the Blue Jays in 1997, is charged with taking funds from an Ontario Devil Rays baseball program that never delivered on the services it promised, Durham police said.