Nikita Zadorov is headed back to Buffalo for the Bruins' first playoff series against the Sabres, and he expects the building to feel as loud as any he has ever played in. The veteran defenseman said he already knows what kind of night awaits at KeyBank Center.
"I think the place is going to be nuts. I mean, we can see how big the [NFL's] Bills are there," Zadorov said, adding that Buffalo has been waiting 14 years for this kind of moment. "And obviously I played in Vancouver when they hadn't played playoff hockey at home for seven years and that was probably the loudest building I've ever been to. And these guys have been waiting for 14 years. So, I'm expecting a great atmosphere and then I'm going to enjoy it for sure."
The matchup carries a layer of history beyond the standings. The Sabres drafted Zadorov 16th overall in 2013, and he said it still feels strange to return as an opponent after what he once imagined could have been a lifelong stay. He was traded to the Avalanche in June 2015, but never lost the connection to the city that gave him his first NHL chance.
"Thought I would spend my whole life there. Obviously when you get drafted first round, you kind of think about those things," Zadorov said. "But then I got out of there pretty quick [traded to the Avalanche in June 2015], but now playing the first playoff series against them in Buffalo, I mean, I only had good things to say about the city and people who [gave] me a chance to play in this league. So, it's going to be a pretty cool experience for sure."
Zadorov joined Boston before the 2024-25 season in part because of the Bruins' habit of reaching the postseason. That was the goal, he said, and this week the team is living it. Boston had made the playoffs eight straight years before missing them last season, while Buffalo has now gone 14 consecutive seasons without getting there.
"That was the goal coming in here, play those meaningful games," Zadorov said. "I mean, we're not done yet. Obviously, it's an exciting time right now for sure."
Across the ice, the Bruins are also getting a quick look at one of their newest young players. James Hagens, 19, is poised to make his playoff debut a week after making his NHL debut, and he will play on the left side with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov. Coach Marco Sturm said the line clicked immediately, while Hagens said the rookie has already shown why he belongs.
"He's been great," Hagens said. "This year we got three unbelievable kids and they're all playing in the same line right now." He added that he had been watching Zadorov's game against New Jersey and noticed more comfort and more control from the defenseman, saying the blue liner's stick and smarts stood out. For Boston, the story is part reunion and part right-now urgency: a return to a building that should be shaking, and a first playoff series against a franchise that has waited far too long for one of its own.