The Boston Bruins have a strong history of drafting large, physical defenders. This lineage includes future Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara, followed by Adam McQuaid, Brandon Carlo, and now Nikita Zadorov. Soon, Kristian Kostadinski may also be part of this group. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 220 pounds, Kostadinski was selected by the Bruins in the seventh round of the 2023 draft.
During the World Junior Summer Showcase in Michigan, he showcased his significant size and defensive skills while playing for Sweden, making a notable impression on the Tre Kronor defense. In a tournament that has turned out to be more physical than expected for early August, Kostadinski has added a crucial toughness to his team.
“Yeah, I like it,” he remarked about the physical play. “When we face teams like the USA or Canada, I enjoy those tougher matches.” While many European players struggle with the smaller North American ice, Kostadinski views it as an advantage.
His presence on the left side of the ice is commanding, and his experience with various national teams has made him accustomed to the rinks here.
“For my style of play, the smaller ice is better,” he noted. “I can navigate in and out of corners more quickly. It works well for me.” Raised in Gothenburg, Kostadinski is a product of the prestigious Frolunda program, whose recent NHL graduates include Rasmus Dahlin and Lucas Raymond. This organization holds great significance to him.
“It has meant a lot to me,” Kostadinski reflected. “I have been part of that program my whole life, starting when I was young. They taught me everything about hockey and life.” Now, Kostadinski is heading to North America to play this season in the USHL for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, a team recognized for developing European players under GM Kalle Larsson, who recently took a position with the Edmonton Oilers as their senior director of player development.
Joining the Fighting Saints will help Kostadinski sharpen his skills while keeping his NCAA eligibility intact, and he has already visited a potential school. “I checked out Boston College while I was at development camp in Boston, and it was incredible,” he said. “It felt so different from Sweden, and that made it special.
Just the size of everything was amazing.” Although this praise may excite Eagles fans, Kostadinski acknowledged that everything here is new to him, so he plans to explore other options throughout the season before making a final choice.
He also aims to take his time with his development, spending his time at camp absorbing advice from the Bruins coaching staff. “They view me as a defensive defenseman who plays tough,” Kostadinski explained. “I want to improve my skating, and they’re assisting me with that.
Adam McQuaid, their development coach, has been a great help; he’s a really good guy.” Additionally, Kostadinski mentioned that Zadorov is one of the NHL players he enjoys watching, so with McQuaid and the new free agent, he has found strong mentors in the Bruins organization.
With ongoing work on his skating (which is already fairly good) and more time to develop his strong physique, Kostadinski has the potential to become one of the next big, tough defenders for Boston. And if he can help Sweden clinch a medal at the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa, that would be an added bonus.
Leave a Reply