Marco Sturm made Nikita Zadorov a healthy scratch Saturday, and the defenseman's agent quickly pointed toward Toronto.
The benching came one night after he took a double minor for roughing Frank Vatrano twice in Anaheim.
Boston didn't miss a beat. Jonathan Aspirot played 17:58, and the Bruins beat the Kings 4-1 in Los Angeles.
Then Dan Milstein jumped in. When a fan posted that Zadorov wouldn't be treated that way as a Maple Leaf, the agent replied: “No, he would not.”
This isn't the first time. Back in 2023, with his client in Calgary and asking out, Milstein posted: “Here comes Zadorov train… get your #LeafsForever tickets today…”
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Sturm didn't sugarcoat his side of it, telling reporters plainly that the scratch was handed down for disciplinary reasons.
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Sitting out is a rare sight for Zadorov in Boston, which made the message even louder.
John Chayka's Leafs need defense, and Zadorov doesn't fit the plan
Toronto does need help on the back end. Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday night that the Leafs want an impact defenseman, not a band-aid.
On paper, the Bruins blueliner brings a physical edge that group has lacked.
Jesse Blake isn't buying it. “There's no way (GM) John Chayka looks at 31-year-old Nikita Zadorov, who's the King of Penalties... and say, ‘This is a solution to my problem,'” Blake said.
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“They're not looking for just a stopgap,” he added. “It's not a real thing in my eye.”
Blake's right. Toronto has allowed 32 goals, and adding a $5,000,000 penalty magnet to a team already chasing games is a bad fit.
It's like hiring a bouncer to fix a leaky roof. The room feels safer, but the water still gets in.
He also has three assists and no goals through eight games this season.
Boston, meanwhile, looks just fine. The Bruins are 7-2-0 and ride five straight wins into Tuesday's game in Dallas.
Sturm sent a message by sitting him. Milstein sent one back, and the next lineup card will show whose message actually landed.
Should the Maple Leafs trade for Nikita Zadorov?
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