$30 million Bruins D-man makes his feelings known about club’s sloppy start to the season

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Nov 23, 2024 02:47 GMT

Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov called out his team due to their un-Boston-like play.

Zadorov’s comments underscore the perception the Bruins have around the league as one of the hardest-working teams. Boston has been known for its tight-checking, hard-hitting style that stifles opponents’ offensive attacks.

Boston Globe reporter Conor Ryan quoted Zadorov saying:

"I thought we were playing soft [the] first 20 games. I don't think that's Boston Bruins hockey. I don't think that's what the fans expected from us.”

The Bruins have struggled this season and it led to the dismissal of Jim Montgomery. Now that Joe Sacco has taken over, the team is looking to turn over a new leaf.

Zadorov, who signed a six-year, $30 million free-agent deal in July, added the following comments:

"We got a blue-collar fans. They respect hard work out there. They respect toughness."

The comments imply that Zadorov and the Bruins will be looking to meet fans’ expectations by working hard on every shift. The B’s will need to focus on getting back to the style that’s made them successful as they battle the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators for the third spot in the Atlantic Division.

While the Division lead is still within grasp, Boston must first focus on making consistent efforts every night. It’s still early enough in the season where Boston could spark a significant turnaround.

Joe Sacco gets off on right foot in debut with Bruins

Boston interim coach Joe Sacco got off on the right foot by defeating the Utah Hockey Club 1-0 on Wednesday night.

NHL.com quoted Sacco following the game:

“[It felt] pretty good, I’m not going to lie to you, obviously.”

The win was a long time coming for Sacco. Sacco last served as a head coach in 2013 when he led the Colorado Avalanche to a 16-25-7 record, missing the playoffs for the third straight season.

Sacco was also happy for his team, saying:

"To get our guys to get a win, too, was even more important. We feel better about ourselves, and I think how we went about the game tonight was like a business-like approach.”

Sacco highlighted the importance of individual contributions:

“I thought that we had a couple of individuals that really brought the energy to our group tonight to lift the bench at certain moments during the game, and just a good effort all around from our guys.”

The stars on Wednesday night were Joonas Korpisalo, who earned the shutout, and Elias Lindholm, who ended a 17-game goalless drought with the game’s lone goal.

Boston hopes Wednesday night’s game will be the spark to light a long winning streak, solidifying the B’s playoff position.