Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov did not hold back regarding his thoughts about the upcoming season.
During an unofficial team skate on Tuesday, the 30-year-old Russian blueliner was quoted by Boston Hockey Now about how last season turned out. He said:
“We didn’t get it done last year, and it’s unacceptable for this city and this club to not make the playoffs. We’re going to redeem ourselves. We got to go back out there and do our job and make the playoffs this year. That’s how we look at it.”
Zadorov, who will be going to the second year of a five-year, $30 million contract, is anxious to get back on the ice and prove that Boston has what it requires to get back to the postseason.
He added:
“You want to have a good camp. You want to get to know all the guys. We’re going to have a lot of new faces in our room again this year, so we’ll get a mojo going, get a chemistry going, and then we’ll see from there. I mean, obviously the main goal for us is to get back to the playoffs and show our fans, show the city what we can do.”
The newcomers to the team will be seeking Nikita Zadorov's experience and leadership qualities to guide the path back to postseason.
The Bruins are scheduled to formally open training camp on September 17. That leaves roughly two weeks for players, including Zadorov, to get into the right mindset.