The player that could change the Bruins’ identity | Bruins Beat

The player that could change the Bruins’ identity | Bruins Beat

um and and I think you’re right with the dynamic element of it uh in terms of you don’t know what he’s going to do and there are some negatives to that but there’s also a lot of positives the unpredictability you know a huge hit uh an offensive play um you know a good stick things like that and you know I mean we we always like to make fun of the older hockey crowd where they’re like oh we did Big you know brutes who are tough and can knock guys around but it became evident over the last couple years that the Bruins needed that at times Bruins beat is brought to you by prize picks and the game time app and welcome into the Bruins beat presented by prize picks go use that promo code clns to get up to $100 off uh or $100 cash back on that first deposit and we’re presented by game time go use that promo code clns to get $20 off that first purchase terms apply uh I am Evan marowski that is Connor Ryan Connor what is up Evan I’m doing great how you doing you’re doing great you’re doing great and I’m doing great and I know why you’re doing great because right now you are a married man congratulations the W the ring is on you have earned your ring I must say the wedding was spectacular very fun food was great Vibes were as high as they could be uh it was just a great time great people you had a uh I think it was a cousin of yours who was an absolute party he brought our table cake he was the man I was his name Rob was his name Rob yep yep coming in hot man yep he’s brings the party wherever he goes he was awesome shirt was untucked came over chatting with the table he was just he was great he was awesome uh and it was just it was a great time really fun and um so happy to see you and Sarah get married uh and it just it was it was it was amazing so congratulations thank you sir it was a blast great to have so many family and friends there in attendance to celebrate with us uh right by Fenway weather cleared up great food was awesome a lot of dancing uh had had a lot of Bruins uh a lot of the Bruins Squad was there you had Ty Anderson there we had Scott mcgoffin eii had Matt Porter from the globe Nicole Yang from the globe and honorary Bruins riter went along with the 2019 cup run people forget yep a lot of people from uh from Mass lab my old place at work so it was great it’s great to obviously celebrate uh me and you know Sarah and myself but to have everyone there celebrate with us have a great time was a blast the food was great I like that you know just it was a great assortment of stuff uh and uh it was just it was I I hadn’t been to a wedding prior to that since I was like six so it been a long time so you saw the open by you’re like I I just Walt’s in here oh my God I can just ask for any drink I want um and they even put the Coronas in a glass which for those who know mea is like I mean as most people Corona is like the only beer I drink in the summer one of the only ones uh it’s you know with a lime cron with a lime you just you can’t beat that yes but it was it was very fun right next to Fenway I loved the video of you and Sarah walking to Fenway there was one guy in it who yelled out like don’t do it yeah I thought that was top I thought that was like spoke Z or someone else like that but no we got a lot of got a lot of Cheers some booze which I expected uh the typical Boston experience I think walking through there but no photos will be great got some good videos so was a memorable day couldn’t ask for anything better yes and I for those wondering I do have a video on my phone of Connor dabbing a few times on the dance floor so might have to release that at some point might have to release that little little blackmail might have to um I regret nothing yeah I don’t blame you I I would want that out there but uh yeah it was a great time and yeah you’re a married man now no dve ital news broke we were waiting for like a San extension no Bruins news broke during your wedding so I was you know we I thought we were going to have like an emergency pot it was going to be like me you Ty and Scott like in like a storage closet with like one little mic just passing it around passing it around all fighting over it like I got I got something to say right this sing extension is fantastic yes um but uh great times to be had uh for sure and you’re about to go on your honeymoon like yes later today so we’re recording Monday uh so we got to get rolling cuz you got a pack you’ve got a pack and you’ve not start packing yet I am looking at the clock and I was like oh oh oh oh [ __ ] so yes less than 12 hours but Evan I’m happy to talk Brun talk with you as always yes of course and and I appreciate that uh I want to send a lot of today on Nikita zor off I feel like we’ve spent a lot of time talking about Elias Lindholm the San extension uh we’ve talked at length about the fourth line and you know how pieces are going to fit but zadorov is sort of an is a really interesting piece um in that you know six years five million per uh as we you know we’ve talked about that before of you know six years is a long time uh five million per year is not crazy but six years you know can be a lot um 6 fo6 250 pounds uh you know at the very least I think he’s a strong shutdown defenseman but then there’s also this other side that we’ve heard him talk about in press conferences we’ve heard John Sweeney talk about this where there’s this there’s this potential he has right even at 29 years old there’s still a ceiling I think that has not been hit at least that’s what you know hockey people believe and that is there there’s an offensive side to his game too now I don’t think he’s ever had more than like 21 or 22 points in his career for a season but he did have a 14 goal year like two years ago in Calgary um which is notable and there have been flashes there was that end to- end goal in the playoffs this year um but what can people expect from him is it a happy medium what is it going to what is he going to end up being for them yeah I mean I would probably say the best way to probably describe him in terms of all like you can just look at how physical he plays that’s probably the first thing that comes to mind I would just say Dynamic right like he’s a presence out there he makes things happen a lot of it’s good sometimes it can be bad and I think we’ve said like there’s going to be times where you’re going to be like what the hell was that in terms of like you know defending on yeah defending an odd man Rush something like that those things happen but I think how active he is um you know with the puck on his stick how mobile he is for a a guy at that size um again I think the brues think that you know I don’t know how much of it’s unta potential of like I don’t think this guy’s gonna come here and be a 40o guy like that’ be a great devel wild but if he can be a 20o player or you know I think Don Sweeney mentioned it like he I think probably further elev his stock in the playoffs because he was probably like next to Quinn he was probably their best overall defenseman I would probably say in terms just how Dynamic he was had eight points in 13 games which again like I don’t think you’re getting that pace I don’t think you’re getting end to end goals but if he gives you like 20 25 points and does a lot of those again the little things that people have mentioned that he’s really good at in terms of retrieving pucks uh breaking the puck out um you know unlike maybe some other guys who have really good transition numbers where a lot of it’s off of you know moving well and then making a good first pass a lot of it for him it’s him just getting the puck and fing it out like good luck trying to knock that dude off the puck you know you know when he’s that at that size it’s kind of a cheat code to have a guy that mobile uh at that size who can retrieve pucks kind of just carry it out without really uh you know running into any issues there so I think you add that with the physical element to what he brings I just think probably Dynamic is the best way to put it and I think like it’s fun when you have those kind of players where every time they’re on the ice here expecting something to happen like he’s he’s there’s rarely I think going to be a game where he doesn’t try to make an impact in some regard whether it’s a stretch pass whether it’s you know activating off the Blue Line whether it’s Landing a big hit like it’s fun to see those kind of players that can have a presence like that especially from you know the physicality Department like look at Pat maroon I think in game one against the Maple Leaves where it’s like all right this guy is like making things happen he’s knocking guys into the bench he’s he’s chirping guys he’s shoving guys after the so like those guys have a presence to them and every single game they bring something out there and it’d be one thing if zidor was just a standard stay-at-home super physical guy and I think youd take that that’s an element you’re missing but the fact that he can do a little bit more than that in terms of moving the puck contributing when needed offensively um that just I think further just elevates his value to this team so is he have another does he have another gear I don’t know if he should go with that expectation but if he can give you 20 plus points or something like that with the physicality he brings looks like a top four defenseman in terms of especially what you saw how he played at the end of this past year with Vancouver I was going to say 25 I think is the target if you can get to that you’re you’re very happy um and and I think you’re right with the dynamic element of it uh in terms of you don’t know what he’s going to do and there are some negatives to that but there’s also a lot of positives the unpredictability you know a huge hit uh an offensive play um you know a good stick things like that and you know I mean we we always like to make fun of the older hockey crowd where they’re like oh we need big you know brutes who are tough and can knock guys around but it became evident over the last couple years that the Bruins needed that at times someone that could uh or you know a play style that could kind of impose their will could scare teams could kind of do what the Panthers have done and you know will zadorov be for checking he better not be he better not be freaking for checking um but at the same yeah that would be great just immediately like first shift dumps it in right at uh I don’t I foret who the BRS are playing first but you know right at whoever that poor defenseman is that’s right yes just dumping it into Aon blad’s corner and just going like balls to the wall to put him through the glass um but you know I think that’s an element that they were missing and I think also in the in the dzone clearing the net front um being hard to play against in the corners now obviously NHL players don’t you know shy away from you know they got to that level for a reason they don’t shy they don’t often shy away from taking the puck to the net but you see a guy like that in the way who’s defending you or defending that zone and it’s like huh might pass it off there oh might you know chip it in the corner might just shoot a low danger shot things like that that have a huge impact on the game because you’re pre you’re preventing plays before they happen and I think that’s another element to his game that will bring a lot to this team and will be good come the postseason because I think that’s another big area where like you know you know the biggest thing against the Panthers I thought last year was the Bruins could not score yeah that was the biggest thing to me but a close second and something that was a problem the year before was they they do they did get pushed around a little bit um by the Panthers and the Panthers were able to push you around and score goals whereas it felt at times like it was one or the other for the Bruins so I want to get to what his impact will be in the postseason but first quick word from our friends over at prize prize picks is Amer ‘s number one daily fantasy sports app with over 5 million active members prize picks is the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports unlike other apps on prize picks it’s just you against the numbers all you do is pick more or less on two to six player stat projections and watch the winnings roll in you can now win up to 100 times your money on prize picks with as little as four correct picks you can turn $10 into $1,000 with the Finals over the hoop action doesn’t stop on prize picks women’s basketball is heating up stars like Caitlyn Clark and Angel ree looking to make names for themselves alongside great like Brianna Stewart and AJ Wilson you can win up to a 100 times your cash watching them ball out and there’s also the MLB the Red Sox are battling for a playoff spot and prize pick makes the action even more fun how about that jiren Durant rafy Des Kyler O’Neal looks like the real deal too when I was I was a big prize picks fan during the Celtics run to the NBA finals and not to brag but I was a winner download the prize pick app today and use code clns for a first deposit match up to $100 that’s code clns on prize picks for deposit match up to $100 pick more pick less it’s that easy so in the postseason feels like a spot where zadorov could Thrive he obviously did this past year for Vancouver um that Vancouver team probably could have went further had Demco been healthy and in the net um but I do think that zadorov brings an element you know all the things we kind of just mentioned to you know why he could be a guy that’s a force against the Maple Leafs the Panthers the lightning and can hopefully make them advance past that second round yeah absolutely I mean how many times do you see it and we’ve mentioned this I think every single uh at the every single June once the Stanley Cup is handed out when we look at the teams that make it very far in the playoffs it’s a lot of times s it’s speed and skill up front now you know with the occasional you know Pat maroon or someone like that then a whole lot of heft on the blue line and again it’s not that you need everyone who’s going to smash your face into the glass but just having those guys that when the ice shrinks having guys that can block shots clear guys out of great a ice um be that kind of physical deterrent to get guys away from high danger scoring uh areas uh the value is just I think ratcheted up in terms of what those guys just the presence alone you know we’re not even looking at like how good they are with the Stick or or anything like that but I just you you look at what zadorov brings and you said it’s just a missing element this team needed I don’t think you’re expecting zadorov to go out there and you know punch Matthew kachuck face in every single like I yeah I don’t think that’s really a winning formula but again it’s kind of the same thing as like the the transition game and some of like the maybe underrated parts of his offensive game yes you look at the and guys obliterating players and knock them into next week but just his his frame and his presence out there I think can steer enough guys away or his ability to muscle guys out of uh High danger areas make life easier for Jeremy Swan those are things that you maybe you don’t notice as much as the the guy launching someone on the ice but it can make a world of a difference when the margins are so so slim once you get to the playoffs you know zadorov I feel like uh I don’t know Conor I don’t know if you experienced this as a kid uh but I know I did before like a youth hockey game I’d watch like you know like Scott Stevens hitting highlights and this would be before like a squirts game where you can’t even hit but I’d like yeah like I’m I’m gonna put someone to the glass tonight it’s like uh let the bodies hit the floor plane or it’s like or it’s like Till I Collapse by memem yes oh my god Till I Collapse is classic uh Here Comes the Boom was a big one uh like I’d watch like rugby highlight and like my friends and I hang out watch like yeah yeah before we go play like mini hockey um watch I’d watch uh rocket power highlights that’s how I get hyped up yes there you go um but uh we I feel like zadorov is a a good highlight for like the kids of today to watch like oh here’s this 6 fo6 Russian guy with a scar on his face who’s gonna absolutely just demolish the other team um but again you know we talk about that but I I I you know I can’t say it enough they’re they’re they feel there’s an offensive side there they feel that there is a better Puck movement side there he’s shown at times he can do that so I don’t think it’s all just going to be him squishing guys mosquitoes against you know the wall I think it’s there’s also going to be a puck moving element too I can’t we recorded so many episodes last week that I don’t remember which episode we said what I’m about to say on um so I think it’s a future episode yeah it is it’s the did that already dropped the projected lineup one you’re like you’re like Doctor Strange I have no idea when these episodes gonna drop couldn’t tell you well we did so for those who don’t know and I might have mentioned this on a previous podcast forgive me if I have uh we recorded a bunch that that are like Evergreen that will always be relevant that that are actually really interesting you know top Sweeney free agent signings draft picks worst draft picks worst signings all that stuff you’ll you guys will love it um but we did a projected lineup one and I think that was Poke the bear last week I think and we debated you know because I said put zador off with Carlo and you said put zador off with u with makoy and you know I think his the way his play style I think it works with both I think that we’ll see him both uh in that top four and I I think that that’s a good thing and I think that the puck moving element even if he is with a guy like Carlo Carlo obviously is not you know exactly Charlie McAvoy moving the puck or or Tory Krug moving the puck but you know can still do it so dorov brings that element to that pairing if they decide to put them together um yeah but uh I want to get to an I had an interesting thought I have a little like big picture free agency thought I want to get to in a second but first quick words from our friends over at game the Stanley Cup finalist is over and what a thriller it was the Celtics are NBA champions with hockey and basketball playoffs over attention turns to the MLB and is there a better activity to do during the summer than hitting the ballparks nothing beats a summer night at Fenway Park a Fenway frag a nice cold beverage and the crack of the bat it’s a nice change of pace from the heart pounding intensity of the NHL and NBA playoffs just pure relaxation good weather and great Vibes feel like every year I make a slew of fond memories at Fenway for me last year it was in Chicago watching the Red Sox take down the Cubs at historic Wrigley Field got to say Cubs fans very nice people want to go to a game this summer go check out game time the authorized ticket Marketplace of Major League Baseball which makes getting tickets faster and easier prices on the game time app actually go down the closer it gets to first pitch that’s right they go down I love how easy to navigate the app is The Flash Deals are awesome if you want to go to a game last minute it’s the perfect place save up to 60% off buying last minute tickets for sports concerts comedy theater Etc not to mention the views from all seats in the venue take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account use code clns for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code clns for $20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed now back to the show so it’s interesting with free agency uh the two you know uh signings the Bruins had that were uh you know big were Lind Holm and zadorov and clearly the biggest free agent you know Lind Holm is the biggest free agent signing of joh Sweeney’s time as as GM uh and it’s interesting because you think back to uh the off season of 2006 when the Bruins went out and signed zidan oara and Mark sard and everyone kind of compares the lind Holm thing to svard but you know we often kind of more compare Lind holm’s game to berson and I don’t know if the Bruins did this by Design um I doubt that they did but they sort of got you know you know berson and Chara were pillars of those really good teams from the late 2000s through uh the 2010s and you know it sort of seems like they’re almost getting like lesser versions like obviously lindom is not berson zadorov is not Chara but you know similarish in Styles and stuff I don’t think they’re G not the same impact you know no I’m not saying that but I just I wonder if it was smart to kind of get comparable players to those guys those were two um core pieces uh you know both captains uh during that time I don’t know I wonder if it was smart to kind of go that direction to go with those prototypes of getting similar kinds of players big you know left shot defenseman who could you know two-way guy and uh you know a centerman like lindol and you know who can play both ends of the ice you know can also produce offensively I just I don’t know I find that parallel kind of interesting if that’s you know maybe they’re going that way yeah I mean I think just the element of what they both bring to this team uh again as you said they’re not bers on and Chara but they move the needle right it’s a top four defenseman who’s arguably the most physical imposing player in the league right now probably you make the case and probably missing a few other guys but he’s right up there and then a guy like goas lolm who again like we can have the discourse over how how much points he’s GNA have or is he a 2C really but he’s the best center you have right now he’s you know held Court as one of the better defensive centerman in the league for a couple of years now and again it helps you out it puts more and again I think we’re both those guys and why the Bruins identify them is one they they fit immediate needs you need a the centerman you need defenseman they have elements of you know how they how they do it like did the bru they take any you know uh potential top six centerman but like clearly what Elias Lindholm brings you in terms of his defensive game is higher than what you would have uh got if you opted for Chandler Stevenson or Shawn monan right you know like what how they are good at their game is I think why the Bruins prioritize them over everyone else you could have signed a cheaper cost affordable guy like Alec Martinez or you could have signed maybe a guy that’s more offensive oriented I don’t really know why you would but like maybe the Bruins pivoted from like the the Jacob Chan discourse or something like that right which again would you rather have like a chen would you rather have a zador in terms of what you needed I agree you know I I think you look at what those guys provide zadorov and lindol um IT addresses you know areas this team needed to shore up but also it I think just puts more guys into proper places to thrive like zadorov isn’t cutting into Mason Lay’s power play reps right uh no a guy like Elias lindol can slot in and now you got zaka probably on the wing you can put coil down to 2C um and you get more leeway there guys get better matchups I just think you look at just both the way both those guys play and just the position of need that uh they address it was kind of a no-brainer and it’s good I think for the Bruins yes we can you can make the case of how much a guy like lol’s worth whether you should you know whether 60 is is smart for a guy at that size like zadorov but for right now I think good on the Bruins for identifying two of the most intriguing guys on the market and go out and get them because it makes the team a lot better than what they were in June before fre agency started and I think it’s interesting you know you look at berson’s impact on the ice you know defensive Center uh you know the best two-way forward ever and like all that stuff and sort of paved the way for them needing a guy like that they never really obviously replaced him he’s only been gone a year but and it’s hard to replace a guy like that but the style that he plays lindol fits lindol fits that style and I think you look at you know ever since charf you’re not going to find a 6 foot n you know offensively gifted defenseman um but you know Zadora fits this similarish style again I’m not comparing them I’m not saying that they’re as good as are going to be better but that kind of same route that same you know path taken and they sort of pay you know burar paved the way and I you know I don’t think the Bruins went out in signed those guys cuz oh they’re going to be the berson and charara Replacements but I think berson and charara molded this team a certain way and these guys fit that mold that’s sort of my my point um it’s not that Sweeney was like oh lindholm’s gonna be Bon and zador is gonna be charara considering zor’s first pressor he was like please don’t ever call me big he’s the next Chara baby yeah he’s she’s Chara 2.0 he’s even better um but yeah just thought that was an interesting little little thought little thought I had an epiphany I had it was at your wedding well giving vows uh I was like it just this Vision came to me it was was quite stunning um and by the way during your vows I loved uh I told you this my girlfriend who’s never met you or uh Sarah but likes you guys very much had a great time at the wedding was crying during your vows so you clearly did you I mean it’s it goes show when when the vows with people writing the vows are writers tends to hit hit home a little bit hit home that’s the thing you look at like all like the sample ones people have because people like you know are either want to do like the standard ones or they’re looking for inspiration I’m like well if I don’t write my own I’m gonna look like a [ __ ] considering profession that b SAR and I have so great yeah yeah no it was they were they were great again it was just such a phenomenal uh event but um yeah that’s this week’s Bruins beat uh you’re going on honeymoon for quite a while uh so I’m not going to ask you what to look forward to because I want you to look forward to just relaxing having fun traveling the world um and uh I’m sure we’ll be in touch as you go uh on your Endeavor to where is it again like Tanzania the was the Maldives the Maldives y so I’ll have a couple back added tweets you’ll follow me around it’s like common San Diego so that’ll be great I’m excited uh but anyway Connor Thank you go have fun go pack uh and I’m Evan marinovsky represented by prize picks and game time you br be listeners have a great rest of your week [Music] [Music]

On this episode of Bruins Beat, Evan Marinofsky and Conor Ryan take a closer look at what the Bruins will get from Nikita Zadorov. How much will his size and physicality impact the Bruins’ team identity, and is it enough to match the teams that have overpowered them in the past? Plus, Evan can’t help but mention who Nikita Zadorov reminds him of, despite Zadorov’s insistence on not being compared to this Bruins’ legend. All that, and much more!

Topics:

– Conor got married!

– What should the expectations of Zadorov be?

– How does he help them in the playoffs?

– Who Lindholm and Zadorov remind Evan of…

0:00 – Intro
01:13 – Conor got married
04:48 – Discussion on Nikita Zadorov
06:56 – Elevating stock in playoffs
08:17 – Impactful physical presence
11:26 – PrizePicks
13:04 – Zadorov’s impact
14:36 – Offensive contributions
17:25 – Gametime
19:31 – Comparing Lindholm to Savard
20:45 – Impact of Lindholm and Zadorov
23:30 – Fitting the mold

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