The Sunday Read: How Khusnutdinov Found Purpose on the Ice and Family in the Locker Room

BOSTON –– Nikita Zadorov puts his chef's apron on once in a while, especially when teammate Marat Khusnutdinov is coming over for dinner.

Zadorov, the 31-year-old defenseman, just finished his 13th season in the NHL. He has planted roots in North America, but is quick to cook up tastes of home. He and Khusnutdinov are both from Moscow, Russia. The 23-year-old Khusnutdinov is adjusting to his new life following his second full NHL season.

Khusnutdinov, a second-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2020, was traded to Boston in March 2025. He didn’t speak much English and was over 4,500 miles away from his family. While Zadorov’s fiery personality precedes him on the ice, the veteran could empathize with what Khusnutdinov was going through. And so, Zadorov decided to take the newcomer under his wing.

It has included dinners, sometimes on a weekly basis, at the Zadorov household with his wife Aleksandra, daughters Stephanie and Sophie, and son Zlatan. It is where Khusnutdinov and his wife, Sofia, spent Halloween and Thanksgiving this season, too.

“He’s a really good teammate, good friend. One more time, I can say, thanks, Zaddy,” Khusnutdinov said. “I know sometimes it’s a hard season, it’s a long season, you don’t see your family the whole season. And you grab a couple guys for dinner once a week – I think it really helps.”

Zadorov sticks to the classics in the kitchen for Khusnutdinov.

“In Russia, we do like a big baked potato, and then we put different toppings in there. It’s called Kroshka-Kartoshka. There’s a fast food chain in Russia, so we make it homemade, and he really likes it,” Zadorov said. “But I think he just likes eating overall. He’s happy with anything.”

With the help of Zadorov, Khusnutdinov has started to piece together his own village in Boston, including the rest of his teammates in the Black & Gold. As the season went on, Khusnutdinov’s laughs got louder, his circle got wider and his confidence in his play increased.

“For me, it’s like family. My family stays in Russia so far. I feel so comfy. I go to the locker room, go to practice, and everybody is joking. Asking, ‘How are you? How is your day? Where did you go to dinner?’” Khusnutdinov said. “This season, I think it’s a good squad. Everybody feels like it is hockey family.”

The forward put together a strong showing for the B’s in his first full stint with the team. Khusnutdinov had 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) through 77 games. But a lot of his impact is not logged on a score sheet. Khusnutdinov’s striking speed, pesky forecheck, commitment to defense and scrappy nature continually caught Marco Sturm’s attention. It is why the head coach felt comfortable using Khusnutdinov on all four lines, penalty kill and power play throughout the year.

“His hockey sense is really good. He’s just so smart. Every team has a player like him. He’s barely in trouble, barely makes mistakes. He’s just one of them,” Sturm said. “With the speed, too, he gets a lot of pucks, he gets first touches, he just covers a lot of things. There’s a lot of good things about this kid, and I do believe the more reps he gets, there’s still room left for him to grow.”

Sturm gave Khusnutdinov top-line responsibilities for portions of the season. The trio of David Pastrnak, Fraser Minten and Khusnutdinov played a total of 22 games together and combined for 14 goals and six goals against.

Khusnutdinov and Minten bonded over their shared experience. While Minten, who is 21-years-old, is from Vancouver, British Columbia, and does not speak a lick of Russian, he too was traded to Boston at the 2025 deadline. Minten came from Toronto and, like Khusnutdinov, made the opening-night roster out of training camp this year and was determined to force himself into a mainstay slotting in the NHL.

“Khusy, despite his language barrier, is a big part of the locker room and the team now, too. It’s been super fun to be his teammate and friend this year,” Minten said. “He’s very funny. Loves to joke around and laugh. Definitely makes me laugh. He’s a really serious guy when it comes to hockey, too. Wants to be good, do well, help the team. Nothing bad to say about Khus.”

The duo emerged as bright spots in the Bruins’ future. Sturm had no problem putting Minten and Khusnutdinov on the ice in the final minutes of a one-goal game, or on the penalty kill while protecting a lead. They were used in overtime, and given the trust to be difference-makers.  

“We wanted to continue to support each other on the ice, off the ice like we’ve been doing,” Minten said. “I think it starts with [Sturm] giving us opportunity, which is awesome. I think we’ve been able to earn and maintain that from just doing hard work and trying our best to help the team defensively first. I think that’s our priority always out there.”

During the playoffs, Khusnutdinov skated on the first line with Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha in the final two games. It was Khusnutdinov’s NHL postseason debut, and while the results did not fall in the Bruins’ favor, the experience was invaluable for him.

“The game is so quick and so fast. Just every team, everybody is trying to play hard. It’s the best hockey – this, I think, is different,” Khusnutdinov said. “If I play the right way, if I play quick, I think it’s more chances in the offensive zone, and it’s better for the team. I think the style of playoff games, you need to play smart. You need to know where’s the puck going after.”

​Khusnutdinov is 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds. He nonetheless threw 17 cumulative hits in the last three games of the series against a bruising Buffalo Sabres team, leading the Bruins with hits in Game 4 (seven) and Game 5 (five).

“We need to show hard play. It’s good on the forecheck if you finish a guy, you stay on him. I think it’s easy for me to backcheck after a hit,” Khusnutdinov said. “I know it’s not an easy game. We try to show it’s not an easy night for another team.”

Khusnutdinov was not pleased with the early summer after Boston fell in Game 6. But he can still appreciate what this year meant for him, in becoming an NHL regular, in seeing his dreams realized.

“It’s the best time, you know? I played the first two seasons in the NHL, no playoffs. And right now, I am in the best organization and the best hockey team,” Khusnutdinov said. “Played with Pasta – it’s a good story I can tell my kids. I played in the playoffs with Pasta.”

Pastrnak is now the veteran that youngsters get jitters about playing with. The 29-year-old forward has flourished in the mentor role, which was a natural addition to his plate given his level of play and care for the team. When Khusnutdinov first got promoted to skate with Pastrnak at the end of October, the alternate captain had a message: “There’s a reason you got promoted to this line. Your game got you here. So just play your game. I will adjust to you, you don’t have to adjust to me,” Pastrnak said.

Khusnutdinov took that to heart. It helped his development.

“I love Khusy. What a nice guy. Always happy, always smiling. Always brings the positive energy,” Pastrnak said. “And obviously, his play speaks for itself. Super proud of the season he had. He was a big part of why we got where we got. Excited to see more from him. Happy with the way he came in this year.”

Zadorov has watched, somewhat like a proud dad, as Khusnutdinov makes his own mark on the Bruins team. Khusnutdinov never fails to show his gratitude. Zadorov’s birthday was on March 16 – Khusnutdinov said he was racking his brain to think of a good enough gift. He opted for a nice bottle of wine to add to Zadorov’s selection, and a pair of Cartier sunglasses, which Zadorov wore in his Game 3 walk-in outfit.

“He got me too many gifts. It was crazy. It was unnecessary,” Zadorov said. “He’s unbelievable. I can’t find better things to say about him. He’s impressed me a lot this year, for sure.”

Khusnutdinov’s arrival was a reminder to Zadorov – and the rest of the team – of what this league is all about. What it really means to be a teammate, and how you can redefine what family looks like.

“At the end of the day, when you retire, and you sit around and you’re thinking about your years when you played, you think about the players you played with, the families and the friendships you made. I think for me, it’s important. He’s such a great guy, and they have a great family, his wife,” Zadorov said. “To just sit there in 40 years and think, ‘Hey, look what kind of career he had,’ and I was part of it. I was able to spend time with him, was able to share it with him. Those moments, talking about all those things – that’s what should drive people.”