Amidst a grueling five-game road trip, it seems frustration is beginning to set in with the Boston Bruins. Following a crushing 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday night, defenseman Nikita Zadorov spoke to the media and may have subtly aimed a message at a teammate.

In the second period of the defeat, goalie Jeremy Swayman skated out to center ice, challenging Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper to a fight after a collision between Kuemper and Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov. Swayman was attempting to defend Khusnutdinov, who had been pushed into Kuemper by a Los Angeles player. However, the referees intervened before anything physical could happen, issuing both goalies minor penalties for leaving their creases.

After the sixth consecutive loss for the Bruins, Zadorov was asked about Swayman defending his teammate. His response was oddly cryptic, raising eyebrows and hinting at potential tension within the locker room.

“Is that what it is?” Zadorov replied. “I don’t know. I have no comment.”

 

Nikita Zadorov 

While this may seem like a small remark, it speaks volumes. Zadorov had several ways to respond but chose this route, which points to possible unrest within the team. It raises questions about potential friction in the locker room, possibly linked to Swayman’s contract situation over the summer and into training camp. Swayman’s play this season certainly hasn’t justified his $8.25 million salary.

In his last four starts, Swayman has lost all four games, with a staggering 6.00 goals-against average and a .815 save percentage, allowing 20 goals. That performance has been dismal, and it’s just one example of how poorly things are going for the Bruins this season.

While Swayman isn’t the sole issue, perhaps, instead of trying to pick fights, he should focus on making saves. It’s possible that Zadorov’s cryptic comment was hinting at that very point. What’s clear is that the problems plaguing the Bruins extend beyond just what’s happening on the ice — they may run much deeper off of it.