The Boston Bruins have won five consecutive games, but a surprising decision involving one of their highest-paid defensemen has sparked a different discussion.
Nikita Zadorov, who signed a six-year, $30 million contract with Boston in 2024, was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
One day later, Zadorov’s agent, Dan Milstein, responded to a fan who suggested the veteran defenseman would receive alternative treatment with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs.
“No he would not…”, Milstein wrote on X on October 18.
The brief response was enough to stir speculation surrounding Zadorov’s future, given his previous connections to Toronto’s trade market.
It’s critical to note, though, that there’s been no reported trade request from Zadorov, and Milstein didn’t explicitly say his client wanted to leave Boston.
Bruins Coach Sturm Sends Message to Nikita Zadorov
Zadorov’s benching followed a downtrodden outing against the Anaheim Ducks on October 16, when the 31-year-old defenseman accumulated six penalty minutes during Boston’s 4-2 comeback victory.
The most high-cost sequence came late in the second period with Boston trailing 2-1.
Zadorov was penalized for elbowing Frank Vatrano before receiving another minor penalty for roughing the Ducks forward after the whistle.
The incident prompted Bruins head coach Marco Sturm to take action.
“He’s a tremendous player and leader for our team,” Sturm said, via the Bruins’ official website.
“I think we’ve been mentioning it for a while, his discipline on the ice. I think that’s something, he just needs to be better. He was not happy. But, he’s a great human being and he’s a competitor.”
Sturm added that he believed Zadorov would respond positively to the decision.
The penalty doubts aren’t merely the product of one tricky game.
According to The Boston Globe‘s Jim McBride, Zadorov had accumulated 29 penalty minutes through eight appearances, ranking second in the NHL entering Saturday’s action.
That followed a 2025-26 campaign in which he led the league with 152 penalty minutes across 81 games.
His physicality has long been an important part of Boston’s defensive identity, but the Bruins clearly want him to exercise better judgment.
Jonathan Aspirot replaced Zadorov in Saturday’s lineup, skating alongside Will Borgen as Boston defeated Los Angeles to improve to 7-2-0.
Bruins’ $30 Million Veteran Has Previous Maple Leafs Trade Connections
Milstein’s response has intrigue since Toronto has previously surfaced as a possible destination for Zadorov.
In November 2023, when Zadorov was playing for the Calgary Flames, Milstein drew attention with a social media post referencing the Maple Leafs.
“Here comes the Zadorov train… get your #LeafsForever tickets today…” Milstein wrote at the time.
Sportsnet subsequently confirmed that Zadorov had requested a trade from Calgary.
He joined the Vancouver Canucks instead, before signing with Boston during the summer of 2024.
There’s also been more recent speculation about Zadorov’s future with the Bruins.
In August 2025, Heavy explored a hypothetical trade that would send Zadorov to Toronto in exchange for Simon Benoit, Nick Robertson and a third-round draft pick.
Additionally, Heavy mentioned in July 2026 that Boston had been connected to discussions involving Zadorov and former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
Those developments provide context for the renewed attention, although neither 100% means that Boston is currently shopping the veteran.
Zadorov’s contract, which has a $5 million annual cap hit through the 2029-30 season, also complicates the prospect of a potential move.
For now, Sturm appears focused on improving Zadorov’s discipline and not changing Boston’s defensive personnel.
And if Milstein’s public reaction leads to anything more sizable is undetermined.
All in all, with Boston riding a five-game winning streak and Zadorov facing heightened scrutiny, his response to the benching will be beneficial to watch when the Bruins visit the Dallas Stars on October 20.
Bruins’ $30 Million Defenseman Sparks Trade Speculation Due to Agent’s Remark