The Bruins have a Nikita Zadorov problem, and his leadership might not be worth it - Causeway Crowd
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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.
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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
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