As the dust settles on a frenetic first day of free agency a month ago, two signings stand out, Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm. Both are great additions to the Boston Bruins roster, though they each bring very different things to the party. The question is, which skill set do the Bruins need most?
Nikita Zadorov
There is no doubt that a big portion of the Bruins’ fanbase will plump for Nikita Zadorov. The 6-foot-6, 248-pound defenseman brings the size and physical presence that fans of the “Big Bad Bruins” have been craving since Zdeno Chara left in 2020. His presence on the ice makes the Bruins D even tougher to play against and he hits hard. He also has a nasty edge to his game, which means that plays like Sam Bennett’s sucker punch on Marchand will be much less likely, or at least there will be a response when they do happen. While fans will be excited by this physical style, it presents a risk as Zadorov picks up penalties at a pretty high rate (102 PIM in 54 games for the Canucks last season). While the Bruins’ PK was solid last year (7th overall for PK% and 4th in the league for SH TOI), an increase in time on the PK will result in more chances for opponents and fewer opportunities for the Bruins’ offense, so it would be nice to spend less time short-handed.
Aside from his size, Zadorov brings a range of skills that make him an asset. He has a cannon of a shot, though this hasn’t converted into the kind of point production that you see from other defensemen. His skating isn’t amazing, but he is quick to rush the puck, which will give opposing forwards a hard time when they see this behemoth bearing down on them in the Bruins’ D-zone.
Elias Lindholm
The 29-year-old Swede came into the league in 2013, having been drafted 5th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes. His stats during his time as a Hurricane and with the Calgary Flames have been inconsistent, with annual highs of 82 points and lows of 39 (discounting his rookie season). However, those teams were also inconsistent, and B’s fans should take heart in the fact that when he is on a high-quality line, he puts up good numbers. Knowing that he is likely coming into a strong Bruins first line, means that we can expect to see some good production from him. Couple this with the fact that Lindholm has wanted to don the black and gold for a long time, and we are about to get a talented, motivated player.
His addition to the team fills a gap in the centre which became glaringly obvious during the playoffs. Lindholm will be the guy who will win possession (he won a shade over 56% of the faceoffs he took last year), make offensive plays, and then come back and contribute defensively. He might not be the next Bergeron, but he is a significant upgrade to the Bruins’ roster and will be a piece that the team can continue to build around for the foreseeable future.
Points over PIMs
Overall, both players strengthen the Bruins' roster, and both contribute to filling the Bruins’ needs. Lindholm gives the team a true top center and allows Montgomery to spread the Bruins' talent across the lines. Zadorov is a presence on the ice and will add a physical edge to the Bruins’ game that some feel has been lacking (though the Florida Panthers didn’t think so).
Ultimately, the addition of Lindholm fills the biggest need. The Bruins lost in the playoffs because they were not able to outscore the Panthers, not because they were a less physical team. As much as Bruins fans (myself included) like to tell ourselves that Florida won because they played more physically (and were more dirty), they won because they played better offensively and scored more than us. Physical play is important in close games, but (as much as it is a cliché) the Bruins need to score more in those games, something you do with more skillful players, not physical ones. The league is moving to a faster, more skillful game and the Bruins need to evolve to win, the signing of Lindholm is a step in this evolution.
Don’t get me wrong, I will be cheering as hard as any “Big Bad Bruins” fan when Zadorov lays someone out, but I will be far more excited when Lindholm starts lighting the lamp.