Nikita Zadorov is ready to make a name for himself as a Bruin

Brad Marchand has chosen some apt words to describe Nikita Zadorov. The Bruins captain called the club's newest defenseman a “predator.” He called him a “beast.”

In any other area of ​​life these words would seem extremely offensive. But this is professional hockey, and Marchand paid Zadorov the highest compliment. Moscow-born Zadorov is not only an intimidating figure at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, but he is now the Bruins' predator after signing a six-year, $30 million contract. He will make his official Bruins debut on Tuesday against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

In an already strong defensive corps, Zadorov stands out.

But on and off the ice, the chiseled Zadorov is much more than just a cyborg-like destroyer. Despite his massive frame, he skates very well and although he rarely scored big points in his five previous NHL appearances, he has a good shot and offensive instincts.

Off the ice, he is engaging and considerate, willing to engage with his teammates and have fun with the usual barbs in the locker room. He is a huge sports fan in general and can't wait to attend some Celtics games this year. He is also not afraid to express his opinion on world issues that are of great importance, which does not happen as often in hockey as in other sports.

And Zadorov is very confident. He knows which jersey he's about to put on, and he knows that the Boston Blue Line once had a towering figure whose last name also began with Z. But on the day he signed last July, he playfully laid down some ground rules on a Zoom call with reporters. Whatever you do, he said, don't call him Big Z, referring, of course, to former captain Zdeno Chara's nickname

“You can see similarities in every player, but every player is also an individual, so I would say it's unfair to me and unfair to him to compare us. But I am who I am,” Zadorov, 29, said in a conversation with the Herald during training camp. “You've seen me in this league for the last 11, 12 years and you know what I can bring… I'm just here to do my job and hopefully I'll do it well.”

Zadorov may be a multidimensional player, but he knows what his calling card is – physicality. The NHL stats suggest he's less of a volume hitter these days. During the 2017-18 season, while in Colorado, he led the league's defensemen with 278 goals and was a top-10 D-men player four years in a row. Last year, in a season split between Calgary and Vancouver, he ranked 22nd among blueliners with 178.

Hit statistics are up to the officials who judge them in the press box, and they can be notoriously fickle. Zadorov attributed some of the decline in numbers to that, but also credited an increasing maturity in his game.

“It’s the buildings you play in. When you play in Colorado, you get hits every time you touch them. And then you go to Canada, it's older people who have been there for 60 years counting hits, and sometimes they miss hits. I don't think that's a fair statistic because every building counts differently. You remember the Islanders with (Cal) Clutterbuck and (Matt) Martin, they just ran past a guy, touched him and then they got hit. Then in some buildings you have to put a man through the glass to score a hit,” Zadorov said. “Maybe as I've gotten older, I've understood how to use my stick better instead of hitting every now and then. When I was young I did a bit of running from corner to corner, hitting guys but giving up plays and passes through me. Now I'm focusing more on the stick side and all that. Obviously it's influenced that, I think. But if I get the chance to beat someone, I won't let up. And it’s always been like that in my life.”

The quality of the test is also important, said Zadorov. He prides himself on delivering things that matter.

“There are big shots on the boards that are easier. But those big shots in open ice are a skill. Not many guys in the league have that. You have to know the timing, you have to be a good skater and not be afraid of missing something. These are the skills I have,” Zadorov said. “If you look at the open ice shots, I'm probably one of the best, if not the best, in the league to do that. Sometimes those hits can change the game, they can change a series in the playoffs, they can intimidate older players, they can get your teammates going. That’s why it’s important for me to continue to do that because it’s really important to the emotional side of the game.”

What to expect offensively from Zadorov, who began training camp paired with Charlie McAvoy but then moved to pair with Andrew Peeke, is an interesting question. His highest point total was 4-18-22 in Calgary, when the Flames had an explosive front line with Matthew Tkachuk, the departed Johnny Gaudreau and new Bruin Elias Lindholm. The most goals he scored in one season was 14 the following season. While that number may seem like an outlier – the highest he has scored in another season was seven – Zadorov doesn't believe it has to be that way.

“Why not? I did it once,” said Zadorov. “Of course I played with great players who prepared me. Sometimes you feel it and everything goes in when you shoot at it. That happens too. But when you work hard on your shot in practice, understand the system and if the system suits you perfectly, that's the result. At the moment I'm getting used to a new system, a new team and the new mentality here. So I hope “That it will work when I finally get used to it and feel like myself again.”

His teammates, new and old, enjoy his presence in the room.

“I absolutely love him,” Marchand said. “I played against him and hated it. I love having him in our group. He is great off the ice, on the bench and in the room. He's always yapping, keeping things light and keeping the boys on their toes. Incredible addition to the group. I think it’s a great fit.”

McAvoy is known to throw a hard check himself, but Zadorov is in a different weight class.

“He’s a presence,” McAvoy said. “He has a good two-way game and I think the most important thing is that he is big and mean. In all his stops, he is someone to hold your head up for out there. These guys tend to take up space in other teams’ minds.”

Zadorov made a name for himself in the playoffs last year when he scored four goals and had four assists in 13 games for the Canucks. Lindholm, who like Zadorov was traded from Calgary to Vancouver in separate deals, saw his talents blossom last spring.

“Obviously he’s a big presence. He’s a good guy in the locker room, he talks a lot and obviously sometimes a little too much,” Lindholm said with a laugh. “No, he’s good. I've been with him for a long time now and obviously he has developed both as a player and as a person. We have a really good D-corps, which is exciting.

“In the playoffs you saw him do a lot of things. He uses his speed, he takes on guys and plays a really good two-way game. He has a powerful shot and likes to rush. I think you saw a little bit of everything there. He’s one of the really good two-way defenders in the league.”

While Lindholm joked about Zadoorov running away from his mouth, the defender raised eyebrows about a more serious matter a year ago. In an interview with a Russian journalist last year, Zadorov expressed his strong opposition to Russia's war against Ukraine. Not many Russian hockey players in the NHL take this position, at least not publicly, although Artemi Panarin of the Rangers had been critical of Vladimir Putin before the war.

Zadorov said he doesn't regret speaking out.

“It is my country, it is my blood and I am patriotic for my country and that is why I spoke out,” Zadorov said. “I just think that what is happening right now is not right. Obviously there was a lot of feedback, some positive, some negative. I probably sacrificed time to go back for a while. I don't think that's possible for a while until something changes. But I still stand by my words. I am still against it and hope that the terrible things happening in Ukraine will end soon.”

Zadorov will begin his Bruins' journey at his offseason home in South Florida, diving into a relatively new but intense rivalry with the Cup champions. He took part in the Battle of Alberta and grudge matches between Colorado and Minnesota. He's ready to take on all the bad blood the Atlantic Division has to offer.

“I know what people expect from me,” Zadorov said. “I know why I’m here and why the organization brought me here, so I can’t wait to show it.”