Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, given time to reflect, regrets comments made about teammate Jeremy Swayman

'Is that what that was? I don't know,' said Zadorov. 'No comment.'
Upon reflection, Zadorov walked those sentiments back following practice at the Honda Center Tuesday afternoon.
'After a 7-2 loss, the players are frustrated. So obviously the time I was frustrated and whatever I said it wasn't towards Sway,' the defenseman said. 'It was just I didn't expect that question and sometimes you've got to understand the situation we are at and everything. You're [ticked after] the game.'
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Zadorov's postgame words were odd at the time because he's been one of several Bruins who have dropped the gloves to protect and/or stand up for teammates.
'Obviously we appreciate in this room guys stepping in for each other, and that's a culture that was here before I came here and I'm trying to follow it as a guy who stepped in for teammates,' said Zadorov. 'We've got [Jakub Lauko, Pavel Zacha], we've got everybody, Swayman . . . We're going to step up for each other and that's the main part for us. So, I think it wasn't even thinking coming towards Sway or anything like this.'
Zadorov said he called Swayman after he made the comments to clear the air and prevent any misinterpretations.
'Obviously he's a huge part of our team. He signed for the next eight years and I'm here for five years, the next five years,' said Zadorov. 'So, we're going to be together for a long time and [there's] going to be a lot of success with this team and back in the playoff hockey and hopefully win the [Stanley] Cup in here.'
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Incidentally, Zadorov flew back to Boston Wednesday to tend to a family matter and coach Joe Sacco said he was unsure when the defenseman would rejoin the team.
***
It was a bit of a homecoming for Sacco, who played four-plus seasons in Anaheim for the expansion franchise that was known then as the Mighty Ducks.
'The good thing about coming here that first year, it was an opportunity for myself and all the other guys that were on the team to establish themselves as full-time NHL players,' said Sacco, who collected 62 goals and 130 points in 333 games with Anaheim. 'We were all let go by teams or left unclaimed by teams for that expansion draft that summer. So, the guys that got picked up there, we felt like we had something to prove to ourselves and to the teams that let us go. We had a great room that year. It was a lot of fun.'
Sacco has the distinction of attempting the first penalty shot in franchise history, Nov. 12, 1997, against the Canadiens.
'Did I score?' Sacco asked following the club's morning skate.
Informed that he did, Sacco smiled and said, 'All right, so that's a good sign. I think it was Jocelyn Thibault, who was the goalie back then. So, I didn't score many, but I scored on that one.'
***
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New York Times

31 minutes ago

• New York Times

How the Blues' offseason could turn into a nightmare, if these 5 things happen

ST. LOUIS — On Thursday, The Athletic wrote about the perfect offseason for the St. Louis Blues. Now it's time for what a nightmare offseason would look like. Reading the reaction to the first article, there wasn't a lot of agreement among subscribers on signing Florida Panthers' free-agent forward Sam Bennett. In fact, knowing Bennett's projected cost ($10 million AAV?) and age (28), some of you strongly suggested that it would be a nightmare. And you're probably right, but it was just meant to be some summer speculation about the perfect offseason. Advertisement So what would a nightmarish couple of months look like for the Blues? Well, it could just be the reverse of what fans hope will go perfectly. For example, if you want the team to re-sign Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg a year before their contracts expire, then not re-signing them would be an unwanted outcome. I'll try and dig a little deeper than that. In the end, we can all agree — if you're the Blues, you don't want any of the items on this list to unfold this way. Thanks to their second-half run to the playoffs, the Blues have the No. 19 pick in the first round. If they choose to make that selection, they should come away with a good player from Corey Pronman's list of the top 125 prospects. But if forwards Cole Reschny (Victoria), Braeden Cootes (Seattle) and Jack Nesbitt (Windsor) are off the board, and defensemen Cameron Reid (Kitchener) and Logan Hensler (Wisconsin) are gone too, is there another player the amateur scouting staff likes in that spot, or would the team trade down? There's nothing wrong with the Blues moving back and acquiring, say, a third-round pick in return. They've had four first-round picks in the past two years, so there's a lot of top-end talent in the system. 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There weren't many to begin with on The Athletic's offseason trade board, so unless Armstrong is able to pluck away a player who isn't widely known to be available, then the Blues could have a tough time filling their hole. In May, I responded to a mailbag question about Blues goalie Joel Hofer getting an offer sheet this summer, and said, in my opinion, I don't think it's too much of a concern. That's not to say it can't happen, but I wouldn't be worried about the Blues matching, or even having to overpay him. Hofer, 24, will be a restricted free agent if he's still unsigned by the Blues on July 1. Granted that's 12 days away, and he doesn't have a contract. But the reason I don't think an offer sheet will come to fruition is because a team would have to give him a contract with a $4.6 million cap hit in order for the Blues to consider not matching. If it's between $2.3-$4.6 million, the compensation is just a second-round pick for the Blues, and they would match that. But as we saw with Armstrong signing Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to dual offer sheets last season, and prying them away from the Edmonton Oilers, anything can happen. And if it did somehow happen to the Blues with Hofer, it would send them searching for a new partner for Jordan Binnington and a netminder for the future. In the final months of the regular season and in the playoffs, Blues coach Jim Montgomery could've flipped a coin when deciding whether to put either Mathieu Joseph or Alexandre Texier. Neither was overly impressive, nor did it appear that Montgomery trusted them. Joseph has one season ($2.95 million AAV) remaining on the contract that the Blues inherited when they acquired him from the Ottawa Senators in a trade last summer. With the NHL buyout window opening 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final, The Athletic has put together a list of potential candidates that includes Joseph. 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You can have Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler and Broberg, but if so, you have to accent them with players who are a bit more intimidating. Tyler Tucker is certainly that, and he helps, but whether it's boxing out five-on-five or on the penalty kill, there has to be more of a presence back there. Armstrong has long known that the Blues need to move on from one or more of those defensemen, but hasn't been able to because of the full no-trade clauses that he included in their contracts. But this summer, some of those full NTCs turn into modified NTCs, which will give the team some flexibility to move them. It'll be interesting to see if the GM follows through. (Top photo of Joel Hofer: Jeff Curry / Imagn Images)

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Could Connor McDavid Really Join the Flyers? Never Say Never

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3 hours ago

• New York Times

NHL free-agent big board 2.0: Can anyone lure the top targets out of Florida?

It's hard to imagine anyone putting together a better sales pitch for a prospective free agent right now than the Florida Panthers. Not only can they sell a Stanley Cup culture and attractive lifestyle in the Sunshine State, but also they've been churning out success stories, with player after player thriving in their environment in recent years. Advertisement 'The guys who come here, for the most part, every guy who's come here has had the best season of their careers,' Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. 'From that perspective, it's gratifying to think that we can create an environment where the guys can do that, but it's the team. It's that room. It truly is.' That's what makes the top of our latest Big Board so unusual: Sam Bennett (No. 2), Brad Marchand (No. 3) and Aaron Ekblad (No. 4) each occupy high-rent spots while they continue to celebrate Florida's Cup win with chants of 'eight more years!' at the Elbo Room. Zito intends to try to keep all three. That will be a challenge, even though the Panthers are a team that spends right to the salary cap ceiling. On the other hand, who would want to leave? As we head toward the home stretch of free agency, it's the latest edition of the Big Board. (Note: Net ratings are for 2024-25 via The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn, stats are via Hockey-Reference and GSAx via Evolving-Hockey. Contract projections are via CapWages and AFP Analytics, updated through the end of the regular season.) Coming off the most productive season of his NHL career, Marner is the kind of blue-chip player who rarely hits the open market in his prime. Adding him would be viewed as a franchise-altering move in several markets across the league because of a unique skill set that makes him not only one of the NHL's most offensively gifted performers but also one of its more trusted forwards on the defensive side of the puck. The former Selke Trophy finalist has been a top penalty-killing option for years and routinely uses his elite instincts to pressure opponents into turnovers when defending at five-on-five. Marner will be paid among the game's highest earners on his next contract. The Conn Smythe Trophy winner is on the younger end of this free-agent class and brings something that can't be measured with boxcar numbers: tenacity. One NHL exec calls him a 'dog on a bone.' So while other centers with longer track records of regular-season production will be available in free agency, Bennett will be more in demand because he's viewed as a player who could tip the scales for a team in the playoffs. He scored 15 goals during this most recent run, which was his third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. So compelling was his career revival in Florida that Marchand is now in line for a meaningful raise at age 37. 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However, there are some concerns out there about how well Ekblad's game will age. He's also been plagued by injuries in recent years and served a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program this season after, he said, accidentally taking a product to help with injury recovery that included a banned substance. Tavares is a reluctant free agent who is still hoping to work things out in Toronto. The veteran will draw multiple suitors if he hits the open market. Tavares is coming off a season in which he drank from the fountain of youth, scoring the most goals (38) among any player in this free-agent class and the third-most points (74). It's a reflection of the fact that, while his skating (never a strength) may not blow anyone away, his hockey IQ and hands are as sharp as ever. Tavares remains incredibly driven when it comes to his preparation, and he's deadly when the puck is on his stick around the net. He's also elite in the faceoff dot. When you couple that package of skills with his impressive resume and positive dressing-room impacts, you have a unique player. Steady as a drumbeat, Ehlers has been an automatic 20-plus-goal player for a decade and consistently drives play for teammates. While not physically imposing at 6 feet and 172 pounds, he backs opponents off with his immense skill. Ehlers can both start plays and finish them, and he's posted a 55 percent expected goals percentage at even strength through more than 600 career NHL games. He's also a power-play threat who produced points at the best rate of his NHL career this season. While he'd be a useful top-six addition for basically every team in the league, there may be some durability concerns with Ehlers over the long haul. He's scored at a 30-goals-per-82-game pace across his NHL career, while only actually cresting that mark once, when he scored 40 times in 2023-24. Boeser is a pure sniper with a dangerous release, which makes him a threat both on the power play and at even strength. Injuries and inconsistency have plagued him at times during his career, but there's no getting around that he excels at the most difficult thing in the game to do. Getting a fresh start after a difficult final season in Vancouver could put some wind in his sails. While Gavrikov may not be a household name, he was a top-pairing defenseman on one of the stingiest defensive outfits in the league this season. That's earned him plenty of admirers across the NHL. The Kings' leader in total ice time this season, Gavrikov is known as a player who seals the wall and keeps the game in front of him. There's also an element of physicality and bite to his game that prevents opponents from getting through him, and he keeps the play moving, which is reflected in the high-end possession metrics Los Angeles produced with him on the ice. While Gavrikov lacks the offensive tools and production to be viewed as a No. 1 defenseman, he has a credible case as a No. 2. Provorov is an all-situations defender who is equally as comfortable lining up on the right side as the left, which boosts his value ever so slightly. He's played more than 20 minutes a night since stepping into the NHL at age 20 and possesses a smooth skating stride that should age well. While prone to the occasional defensive error, he excels at getting play going in the right direction with a good stick to force turnovers and a strong breakout pass. It's no certainty that he'll hit the open market with his younger brother, Vladimir, set to move to Columbus to attend Ohio State. What can be expected from the three-time Stanley Cup winner after two complete seasons away from the game is anybody's guess. But there was a crowd of interested suitors here when Toews declared his intention to play again, and he's since started to narrow the field. Toews can't officially sign a new contract until July 1 but will likely have a handshake agreement in place before then, with the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche considered his most likely landing spots. With Toews, you're getting a boatload of intangibles and experience, and his mind alone should make him an effective depth center as long as his body cooperates following years of health challenges. A well-known commodity who has appeared in more than 450 career NHL games, Allen was a bright spot in the No. 2 role for the Devils this season. Not only was his .906 save percentage right in line with his career average, but also his goals saved above expected per 60 minutes ranked among the top goalies in the entire league. Allen stands above a thin free-agent class at his position. Granlund enjoyed a nice run to the conference final with the Stars after coming over from San Jose in a midseason trade, and he illustrated exactly what he is in those two disparate situations — a useful middle-six winger on a contender who can handle top-line duty on a weaker roster. His experience and versatility are a plus, as is that he can contribute to both special-teams units and handle his business in the faceoff dot. A steady player all around. If you're looking for signs of encouragement here, Kane has scored and put up points at a better rate in the two seasons after hip surgery than the two immediately before it. The procedure looks to have given new life to one of the best American players ever. Still, Kane hasn't appeared in a playoff game during that period and might be tempted to jump to a contender under the right circumstances. He remains an elite playmaker and puck handler who would nicely complement high-end offensive teammates. A Swiss Army Knife-type coming off the best season of his career, Suter profiles as a third-line center who can be moved around a lineup as needed. What he lacks in pure foot speed, he makes up for with an ability to process the game at a high level, which keeps him a step ahead positionally on the ice. During his time with the Canucks, Suter also showed that he can handle tough matchups, which is why he could command as much as $5 million per season on the open market. The Hurricanes may not have been the best fit for Orlov's preferred style of play, and a rough ending to the playoffs may ultimately affect his market. So, consider this a buy-low opportunity. Orlov has been an excellent two-way defender throughout his career and can handle the physical demands of the position. After going from a waiver claim to a spot on the Blue Jackets' top pairing with Norris Trophy finalist Zach Werenski, Fabbro supercharged his career. The right-shot defenseman more than held his own while seeing 21 minutes per night for three-quarters of the season. Fabbro gets around the ice well and has a heavy shot, as evidenced by his nine even-strength goals. He should be in for a nice payday this summer. Lindgren is a high-character player who doesn't shy away from physical play and is at an age where he likely hasn't yet hit his ceiling. Some of the defensive challenges that plagued the end of his tenure with the Rangers weren't as evident in Colorado, where he logged more than 18 minutes per night in the playoffs after arriving at the trade deadline. Lindgren is a steady puck-mover who can contribute on the penalty kill. Bought out by Winnipeg a year ago, Schmidt found a home on the Panthers' third pairing and was a steady contributor during their Stanley Cup run. The affable puck-moving defenseman brings life to the dressing room and keeps the game moving in the right direction when he's on the ice. Florida had 59 percent of the expected goals during his five-on-five minutes in the regular season. He'll be looking for a raise after playing for $800,000 with the Panthers. Word is that Giroux would prefer to stay in Ottawa, where he's become a trusted voice around an emerging team. But so far, the sides haven't come together on a new contract. Some of the offensive pop appears to be waning with age, but Giroux remains an elite faceoff man and a skilled playmaker. He's a good power-play option, too. He's put up 0.76 points per game across the past two seasons in Colorado, where he took advantage of favorable lineup deployment. Drouin excels when skating alongside a high-end finisher because of his playmaking creativity and vision. A strong skater with a decent set of offensive tools, Roslovic can be counted on to produce about 0.5 points per game. He brings some versatility as a right winger or center who can help a power play. However, Roslovic also has battled consistency issues and was a healthy scratch at points for Carolina during the playoffs. While no longer the NHL's preeminent power forward, Benn continues to play a physical and effective brand of hockey. He's more of a checker at this stage of his career, but can also be counted on for a bit of bottom-six offense, as evidenced by his 15 even-strength goals this season. A return to Dallas makes the most sense here, but the Stars are operating with little cap space. Fresh off a fifth loss in the Stanley Cup Final in the past six years, Perry is determined to plow on. A return to Edmonton is possible, but there may also be a healthy market for him elsewhere. Speed has never been an asset for the 40-year-old winger, but he hasn't lost any of his battle level or love for the game. Perry continues to get to the hardest areas of the ice and scored 19 goals in the regular season, plus another 10 in the playoffs. Vladar has never made more than 30 appearances in an NHL season, so he shouldn't be viewed as a No. 1 option. A big man known for his athleticism, there may be a higher level of performance to be unlocked here. Outside of a down year in 2023-24, he's performed at roughly league-average level since the pandemic. A fantastic teammate who is finally healthy again after missing virtually all of the 2022-23 season because of major knee surgery, Brown is a low-maintenance winger and an attractive complementary roster piece. You can count on him to hound pucks and kill penalties. He'll chip in with the odd big goal, too. Klingberg is skating incredibly well after missing a year to a double hip-resurfacing procedure. In fact, his performance during the Oilers' playoff run should have him in reasonable demand this summer. While he's almost certainly not going to be a $7 million player like he was in the past, Klingberg's ability to transport the puck and facilitate breakouts still holds value. The player believes he'll be healthy enough to play multiple more years. He'll hit free agency just days after celebrating his 26th birthday, making him one of the youngest players available on the open market. It's still not clear exactly where Jokiharju's ceiling will settle as an NHL player. He's a strong puck-mover who has made some strides with his defensive game, but his size has kept him from playing big minutes. Ceci's one of the more polarizing performers in the NHL. As easy as it is to poke holes in his puck-handling ability or lukewarm offensive numbers, he has been a core defensive fixture on multiple teams that have recently gone on long playoff runs. He's a minute-muncher who kills penalties and tends to pair well with a more offensive-minded partner. He's a right-handed shot, too. There have been discussions on an eight-year contract extension that would keep him in Edmonton, according to league sources, so Frederic may not make the open market. He was limited by a high-ankle sprain after the in-season trade from Boston to Edmonton, but clearly he made a strong impact. Frederic is a big man who skates well and can effectively be deployed as a checker. He's a bottom-sixer, but he's also got an 18-goal, 40-point campaign on his resume. Olofsson's biggest weapon is a hard, heavy and accurate shot. That makes him a threat to score whether he's on the ice at five-on-five or patrolling the power play. While his game can leave something to be desired on the defensive side of the puck, there's always going to be room for Olofsson in a lineup somewhere because of his ability to score goals. A puzzling player who either seems to be scoring in bunches or not at all, Kuzmenko had a nice run in Los Angeles after coming over at the trade deadline. He scored three times in a six-game series loss to the Oilers. While the degree of unpredictability is high here, it's hard to ignore the 39-goal, 74-point campaign Kuzmenko had in Vancouver in 2022-23. A bit of a late bloomer who only broke into the NHL three seasons ago, Perbix has the size and demeanour to carve out a long career. He reads the play well and is positionally sound. There are some offensive limitations to Perbix's game, but he's a steady player with some room still to grow. The owner of the NHL's second-longest consecutive games played streak at 925 games, the 40-year-old workhorse is coming off a season in which he played 21 minutes per night for Carolina. His offensive production has trended down with age, but he's still pretty mobile for a large man and can give you some spot duty on a power play, when needed. A veteran left-shot defenseman with two Stanley Cups already on his resume, Dumoulin profiles as a nice depth addition for a contender. Big and mobile, he can be trusted to move the puck effectively while handling a steady workload. He's not known for being overly physical, but he also won't be pushed around. There's been a slight dip in production in the past two years, but Smith remains a strong two-way player with Stanley Cup pedigree. He can be counted on to win puck battles and is an effective penalty killer who has 15 short-handed goals on his resume. Smith is also a big-game player known for strong playoff showings. Best slotted as a third-liner at this point in his career, Mangiapane is known for having a nose for the net. He scored 13 even-strength goals for Washington this season and also was deployed as a penalty killer. Just 29, there's still good hockey left in Mangiapane's legs. The journeyman is known as a good goaltending partner and a reliable No. 2. He moves around the crease well and has put together some strong NHL stretches, basically getting the Florida Panthers into the playoffs with a hot run at the end of 2022-23, when he briefly supplanted Sergei Bobrovsky. Lyon made 74 appearances for Detroit across the last two seasons. A steady winger who doesn't do anything flashy, Appleton is a veteran who can be trusted to handle his own on the defensive side of the puck. He also has a little offense in his stick, primarily as a playmaker. Appleton will likely find a raise on the $2.1 million he was earning. After bouncing between five organizations in eight years, not to mention between the AHL and NHL during many of those stops, Gaudette exploded for a career season with 19 goals in Ottawa. While there will still be some "buyer beware" around those numbers given past consistency issues, Gaudette profiles as a versatile depth forward with some offense. A healthy scratch more often than not for the Oilers during the playoffs, Skinner did manage to score 16 goals during the regular season. That's a sign he can still make use of the lethal shot that made him a perennial 30-goal man in the past. There are some defensive concerns with Skinner's game, but he can still bring value if deployed properly. Beauvillier has quite a collection of sweaters in his closet after playing for six teams in the past three years. He went from Long Island to Vancouver to Chicago to Nashville to Pittsburgh to Washington. A skilled winger with decent puck-handling skills, he didn't find much post-deadline success with the Capitals and will likely need to find another new home. The veteran winger scored 15 even-strength goals for Columbus last season, which is a sign that the hands are still there. He's a big guy who has the ability to get to the net and find a way to put the puck home from in close once he arrives. A good pro who is closing in on 1,100 career games, van Riemsdyk is a positive influence for younger players. Not particularly big or adept at winning puck battles, Dadonov does his damage when the puck is on his stick in the offensive zone. The veteran winger has a good shot and hit the 20-goal mark again for Dallas this season. The goals did dry up for him in the playoffs, but he's viewed as a useful complementary piece. The veteran winger plummeted back to earth after a dream season in 2023-24, when he racked up 75 points for Nashville. That total fell to 28 in a campaign split between the Predators and Wild. Nyquist is a talented playmaker who remains a strong skater and seems like a plausible bet to deliver a season that falls somewhere between the extremes of his last two. Saad made a big bet on himself in late January, walking away from more than $5 million in guaranteed salary to mutually terminate a contract with St. Louis before ultimately signing for much less with Vegas. His results with the Golden Knights were so-so. Still, Saad is clearly a motivated athlete who plays a power game and can chip in with some offense. Just two years removed from being the Avalanche's No. 1 goaltender, Georgiev has seen his game hit rock bottom. He was statistically among the worst NHL performers at the position this season and saw Colorado dump him to San Jose amid his struggles. Still, Georgiev is only 29, and in a diluted market, he may find someone to take a flier. The veteran produced encouraging numbers in 30 appearances for Ottawa and should be able to find a No. 2 job on the open market. He has a fair amount of experience built up over the past few seasons. Sacrificing for the team seems to run in the family, and Chris Tanev's younger brother finished the season with the second-most blocked shots among all NHL forwards. He's known for a grinding game that wears on opponents. Tanev is also a proficient penalty killer who scored 10 even-strength goals in a year he split between Seattle and Winnipeg. While there are some obvious limitations with a 5-foot-10 defenseman who isn't particularly well-suited to withstanding a physical game, Grzelcyk makes a killer breakout pass. That helped propel him to a career-high 39 assists in Pittsburgh this season. Grzelcyk is also an excellent skater and can transport the puck on his own. An effective skater for a man of his size, Armia is known for his defensive instincts and consistent 200-foot play. He's also a solid penalty killer who scored three short-handed goals for Montreal last season. Ultimately, Armia is a low-maintenance bottom-sixer who won't break the bank. A high-energy winger coming off his best NHL season with 14 goals and 32 points, Robinson is hitting the market at a good time. He skates well and is known for playing a hard-working style. Robinson can also chip in on the penalty-killing unit, as needed. A big winger who found himself scratched a couple of times in the playoffs, Raddysh is still carving out a defined role as an NHLer. His size is an asset, and he has the skill to become a nice complementary fit, but he doesn't project as a major point producer. At 27, there's still room for him to grow. Reliable right-shot centers who can fill a depth role always have value. Bjugstad is a steady play driver who profiles as an ideal bottom-six utilityman, but he saw his production dip last year in Utah. After starting last season in Russia, DeAngelo found his way to the Islanders and produced better than 0.5 points per game over 35 games. That has been DeAngelo's career in a nutshell: He's a consistent point producer and power-play quarterback who is extremely well-traveled. A player with a 40-point season and two 50-point campaigns under his belt, some questions remain about DeAngelo's off-ice maturity. But there's little debate about his ability to shoot and move the puck. A veteran goalie who has ridden the highs and lows throughout the years, Samsonov performed reasonably well as the No. 2 man in Vegas last season. He produced 0.6 goals saved above expected in 29 appearances and won 16 games. He's still young enough for a team to believe it can help him find a little more stability. Plus, it's not a particularly deep goaltending market. (Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic, with photos of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand by Peter Joneleit and Steph Chambers / Getty Images)