The Bruins are off to a 7-2-1 start and sitting atop a loaded Atlantic Division, but Nikita Zadorov has become the one spot of turbulence in an otherwise strong early run.
Boston’s $5 million defenseman has piled up 29 penalty minutes and has also been a problem at 5-on-5, where the Bruins have surrendered high-danger chances with him on the ice. His 46.53% expected goal share is the worst among Bruins defensemen, and that combination has made him the easiest part of the roster to pick apart.
That tension came up on Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, where host Tyler Yaremchuk, co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton, and Pete Blackburn, co-host of the podcast What Chaos!, dug into what’s happening with Zadorov.
Hutton pointed to the physical edge Zadorov brings and asked whether the veteran had been scratched as a way to send him a message.
Blackburn said the Bruins knew exactly what kind of player they were getting. He said the team has accepted Zadorov as a disrupter, which is a big part of why they brought him in. But that same style comes with the penalties, and Blackburn noted that Zadorov has led the league in penalties over the past couple of years.
Still, Blackburn said Boston had reason to be frustrated with what it has seen so far this season. In his view, Zadorov has not been a net positive to start the year, and his play has not been nearly good enough. He also said the scratch was not just about discipline, pointing to the previous game, when Zadorov took a double minor that put the Bruins in a bad spot.
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Bruins Turn To A Different Goalie In A Spot Fans Will Watch
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For a team trying to keep the momentum going, the goalie decision adds a little extra intrigue to a home matchup that arrives right after the travel grind. Jeremy Swayman handled most of the work on the road, so this start gives Boston a different look in a game fans will be watching closely to see how the crease lines up moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fast Start Is Starting To Feel Like Something Bigger
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The rankings bump followed quickly, with Boston climbing in both major national power lists, but the more interesting part is what comes next. The Bruins now get to bring that momentum back home for a stretch that includes Nashville and San Jose, a chance to see whether this fast start is merely a strong opening or the beginning of something sturdier. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Late-Game Choice Put Marco Sturm Under The Spotlight
When the Bruins came out of Dallas with one point after a 2-2 tie late in the third period, the attention shifted quickly from the comeback itself to how Marco Sturm managed the closing stretch. With the game in a tough arena and the result hanging in the balance, the first-year coach leaned on a more protective approach in the final minutes and through overtime, a choice that stood out even more because of the lineup decisions he made after the Stars pulled even.
The move left some of Bostons younger players on the bench as the Bruins tried to secure at least a point on the road trip, and it underscored how much Sturm is weighing development against game-state realities early in his tenure. Dallas ultimately finished the rally in overtime, turning a late Boston lead change into a narrow defeat and giving the Bruins plenty to sort through beyond the standings point they salvaged. [Read more 🡒]