The Boston Bruins bolstered their blue line in NHL free agency with the signing of Nikita Zadorov, and Charlie McAvoy thinks he’ll make a seamless transition to the lineup.
“I really enjoyed watching him from afar and the player that he is and the career that he’s had, and I’m thrilled with the opportunity to have him here, and he makes our d-corps really, really whole,” McAvoy told reporters after Tuesday’s captain’s practice.
“We’ve got a little bit of everything, and I’m just really happy that he’s here, and if I get the chance to play with him, I think we’ll hit it off. I think we’ll be really good together.”
Charlie McAvoy on welcoming new members of the #NHLBruins: "We bring you in with open arms…that's what happened with me and I've seen it happen with everyone else who comes in here." pic.twitter.com/1NtMMh0gli
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 3, 2024
The most likely top pairing entering camp is McAvoy playing alongside Zadorov. At some point, young defenseman Mason Lohrei might slide into the left side of the No. 1 pairing, but it makes sense to put Zadorov next to McAvoy to start.
Zadorov’s stay-at-home, physical style of play would allow McAvoy to jump into the attack and generate more offense. The B’s did not create enough scoring chances from their blue line last season.
Anyone who’s watched Zadorov knows he isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds. He doesn’t shy away from contact anywhere on the ice.
“He’s big. He’s mean. He’s angry. He has skill. He has all the things I think you need,” McAvoy said. “You have to know when he’s on the ice. I think that’s someone you really want to have on your team.”
The six best defensemen on the Bruins roster are all at least 6-foot-1 and 200-plus pounds. After losing to a more physical Florida Panthers team in the playoffs each of the last two seasons, there’s no denying the Bruins are bigger and stronger on the back end.
“It’s good to have size. I think you’re seeing a little bit of the makeup of a lot of the good teams in this league,” McAvoy said. “The size helps, and the skating ability — you’ve got to be big but you’ve got to be able to move. I think we have that. We have a lot of dynamic defensemen.”
Bruins training camp begins Sept. 18.