In the summer of 2024, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney went big in free agency. He got center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Both were huge additions. Their first year in Boston last year was a mess for both players.
Lindholm battled injuries all season, and Zadorov never really got his feet on the ground and spent the season fighting to stay out of the penalty box on a nightly basis. It was a forgettable season for the Black and Gold that saw them finish tied for last place in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers.
At the trade deadline, Sweeney had a fire sale that saw several key players traded, including Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, and Trent Frederic, to name a few. Maybe the biggest surprise destination was Carlo heading to Boston's bitter rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sweeney got a first-round draft pick and prospect Fraser Minten as part of the return. It's the trade that keeps on giving, and Elliotte Friedman revealed another angle to Zadorov and the Maple Leafs in his latest 32 Thoughts.
Elliotte Friedman reveals Bruins outbid Maple Leafs for Nikita Zadorov
Zadorov is having a nice bounce-back season to date for the Bruins, and in the first two games against Toronto, he has upset the Leafs and their fanbase. What makes it even tougher for them to swallow is a report from Friedman, who reported that the Black and Gold outbid the Leafs by $500,000.
"The Bruins outbid Toronto by $500,000 for Nikita Zadorov in the summer of 2024. Now that the Maple Leafs have a WWE partnership, maybe they dress Roman Reigns against him on Jan. 4,'' Friedman wrote.
Imagine how different things would be right now if Toronto had outbid Boston for Zadorov in free agency. Carlo is still likely with the Bruins, Minten is either with the Maple Leafs still or with someone else, and Bruins fans might be the ones upset with Zadorov this season for his heavy hits that have injured multiple Maple Leafs. Those could be Bruins.
Almost everything comes down to money, and it did between the Bruins and Maple Leafs for Zadorov in the summer of 2024.