Bruins bruiser - and team DJ - Nikita Zadorov sets tone for team, on and off the ice

"Granted, Zadorov's teammates aren't talking about the hits he delivers on the ice. In Boston's dressing room, the 30-year-old Zadorov has also assumed the role as the team's DJ - entrusted with the aux cord and the duty to keep his teammates fired up over the long grind of an 82-game NHL season. It's an overlooked - and oftentimes thankless - gig in an NHL dressing room."

"But, for a player like Zadorov who has established himself into a vocal figure on a reworked Bruins team, crafting playlists and keeping tabs on his team's pulse comes as second nature. "It's my job to bring energy, right - on and off the ice," Zadorov said. "So this is my part to do it off the ice as well. So far, so good.""

Nikita Zadorov serves as Boston's physical enforcer, policing post-whistle incidents, eating up pucks on penalty kills, and delivering heavy checks. Teammates acknowledge that his role is difficult and say they would not want it themselves. Zadorov also functions as the team's DJ, controlling the aux cord to keep teammates energized through an 82-game NHL season. The Bruins signed him to a six-year contract in July 2024 to add size and snarl to the defense corps. In 121 games with Boston, Zadorov has 242 penalty minutes, 324 hits, and 171 blocked shots, and he has become a vocal presence on a reworked roster.

Read at Boston.com