Nikita Zadorov quickly informed the media that he did not want to be referred to as “Big Z” like he was with the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and Colorado Avalanche out of respect for former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara.
Zadorov, who signed with the Bruins on the first day of NHL free agency, has long admired Chara and told Responsible Gambling’s Daria Tuboltseva that he “would love” to meet the team’s great while in Boston.
“I want to know what helped him play at such a high level for so long,” Zadorov remarked in an interview with Tuboltseva.
Chara played in the NHL for 24 seasons, including 14 with the Boston Bruins, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2011. In 2022, he signed a one-day contract with the organization before retiring from the franchise. Even if the two defenseman shared a nickname, Zadorov did not want the nickname to stick at the city where Chara helped change the culture.
“I’m far from Chara,” Zadorov informed Tuboltseva. “I heard that he came to every training camp and was the best at tests until the age of 40,” he told me. “He did 30 pull-ups at once and performed better on cycling tests than anyone else. That is why he has played so long and is so respected in the league.”
Chara’s training routine hasn’t slowed down his retiring. He has raced multiple marathons and recently finished his first Ironman race.
Zadorov adds size to Boston’s blue line. At 6-foot-6, he’ll fit in well alongside Charlie McAvoy (6-foot-1), Hampus Lindholm (6-foot-4), Brandon Carlo (6-foot-5), and Mason Lohrei. He is physical and tough on opponents during the regular season and playoffs, and he isn’t afraid to play with a little edge.
