Bruins reportedly sign Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov

Don Sweeney was candid on Thursday when requested about Boston’s high wants getting into free company.

“We’d prefer to deepen the center of the ice,” Boston’s normal supervisor acknowledged. “In order that’s the place we’ve been targeted to have these talks with our group, to say, ‘OK, who could be the man?’ And hopefully make the pitch on the proper time that we may add a participant like that, of that nature. And we’ll proceed to look to strengthen our again finish and complement the group we’ve there.”

Given Sweeney’s offseason to-do checklist, it got here as little shock that Boston reportedly shored up each the middle place and blue line shortly after NHL free company commenced on Monday afternoon. 

In line with TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Bruins have signed heart Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov — add defensive fortitude up entrance and a few heft on the blue line.

In line with Chris Johnston of The Athletic, Lindholm’s take care of Boston is for seven years and $7.5 million per season, whereas Zadorov’s deal is for six years with an annual cap hit of $5 million.

It will mark the third group that each Lindholm and Zadorov have performed on collectively — with the duo additionally sharing a dressing room with each the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.

Lindholm has been linked to the Bruins for a while, with the 29-year-old pivot holding loads of enchantment as a 200-foot heart able to impacting the sport in quite a lot of methods. 

The Swedish pivot has held court docket as one of many higher two-way pivots within the sport for the previous few seasons — posting 4 seasons of fifty+ factors in his profession whereas additionally ending second in voting for the 2021-22 Selke Trophy because the league’s high defensive ahead.

The 2023-24 season was a down 12 months for Lindholm when it comes to his baseline manufacturing, particularly after getting slotted to the wing with Vancouver. He completed with 44 factors (15 targets, 29 assists) over 75 video games, however did elevate his play within the postseason (10 factors in 13 video games) whereas dominating in faceoffs all 12 months (56.4 %). 

Given his hefty price ticket, there are questions on whether or not or not Lindholm is known as a bonafide top-line heart — or extra of an efficient second-line, 200-foot stalwart. 

However on Boston’s roster, he’ll shortly take over because the group’s high heart — permitting the Bruins to both push Pavel Zacha to the wing or slot Charlie Coyle additional down the depth chart. 

He could be extra of a 60-point participant, however a full season stapled subsequent to David Pastrnak may assist Lindholm recoup the elite scoring contact he displayed in 2021-22 with Calgary (42 targets, 82 factors). 

Whereas Lindholm will present extra refined, two-way participant up entrance for Boston, Zadorov will land loads of welts on the again finish.

The 29-year-old Zadorov is an already imposing determine at 6-foot-6 and 248 kilos — and certain performs prefer it. 

The Russian-born blueliner is among the most bodily gamers within the league, posting six seasons with at the very least 175 hits on his resume. Zadorov performed arguably his finest hockey for Calgary and Vancouver in 2023-24 — scoring six targets and 20 factors over 75 video games whereas touchdown 177 hits and 68 blocks. 

He additional elevated his inventory through the postseason for the Canucks — scoring 4 targets and eight factors over 13 video games whereas clearing opposing skaters out of Grade-A ice.

Zadorov rounds out the left aspect of Boston’s protection alongside Hampus Lindholm and Mason Lohrei, though it stays to be seen whether or not or not the Bruins envision him as extra of a third-pairing common or a potential top-pairing companion subsequent to Charlie McAvoy. 

With Lindholm and Zadorov accounting for a mixed $12.75 million cap hit, the Bruins might need to dive within the cut price bin for extra scoring assist this offseason — with a majority of their remaining camp area probably allotted towards Jeremy Swayman’s pending pay increase.