The Boston Bruins signed Nikita Zadorov to a six-year, $30 million deal to bolster their defense after losing to the Florida Panthers in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Bruins struggled defensively as they had trouble containing Sam Bennett.
In the 2023–24 season, Zadorov played for both the Canucks and the Calgary Flames, recording six goals and 14 assists over 75 games. Following his reported trade request earlier that month, he was transferred from the Calgary Flames to the Vancouver Canucks on November 30, 2023.
In an interview with RG.org, Zadorov talked about his trade out of Calgary.
“Before the last season started, I made it clear to the management that I want to stay,” Zadorov said, “But in the end, all the other players received offers except me. After the season’s bumpy start, we realized waiting until the trade deadline was pointless. We had to act quickly.”