'Everything Goes In — It’s Embarrassing’: Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov Calls Out Jeremy Swayman
Tensions are mounting in the Boston Bruins locker room, and veteran defenseman Nikita Zadorov may have pulled back the curtain on growing frustration—specifically aimed at goaltender Jeremy Swayman. During Sunday’s 7-1 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Kings, Swayman tried to ignite his team by skating to center ice and challenging Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper to a fight after Kuemper got physical with Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov. While some viewed the move as an act of leadership, Zadorov’s blunt response postgame painted a different picture. When asked if Swayman was standing up for a teammate, he replied coldly, “Is that what it is? I don’t know. No comment.”“Did you guys appreciate that Jeremy stuck up for Khusnutdinov?”“Is that what it is?” No comment.” Nikita Zadorov got asked about Swayman’s near-fight. pic.twitter.com/xqjeWZZf60— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 24, 2025
Zadorov didn’t stop there. Clearly frustrated after another blowout loss, he took direct aim at the team’s goaltending, offering a scathing critique of Swayman’s performance. “Everything goes in,” he said. “It’s embarrassing, obviously. How many times we get beat by these teams scoring six goals, seven goals on us this year? It’s definitely unacceptable.” Swayman, who posted a brutal .696 save percentage against the Kings, has now gone four straight starts without a save percentage above .900—giving up 20 goals over that stretch with an ugly .815 mark.Jeremy Swayman wanted all the smoke 😳 pic.twitter.com/VKTo03x8r2— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 24, 2025
While nothing official has surfaced about a rift, Zadorov’s tone and choice of words suggest deeper issues are simmering behind closed doors. With the Bruins tumbling down the standings and Swayman struggling under the weight of an $8.25 million cap hit, questions are swirling about whether his offseason contract holdout may have affected team chemistry. Zadorov’s remarks hint at a locker room that’s lost its cohesion, and if the Bruins continue to spiral, this could be the beginning of a much larger unraveling.Photo Credit: Natalie Reid-Imagn Images...
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