By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell

He is considered one of the prized free agents to join the Bruins this year. Center Alexei Zhamnov, who turns 35 Oct. 1, has averaged nearly a point a game during his 12-year NHL career. Four years in Winnipeg, nearly eight seasons in Chicago, and part of one season in Philadelphia have yielded 709 points (248 of them goals) in 783 regular-season contests.

When he was traded to the Flyers in a multiplayer deal Feb. 19, 2004, he got his first taste of the Eastern Conference and believed he was going to a serious Stanley Cup contender. He wasn't far off. After victories over New Jersey and Toronto, the Flyers fell to eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay in the conference finals.

''All my hockey career, I don't have an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup," said Zhamnov, who played in his native Russia for Vityaz Chekhov last year during the lockout. ''When I was with Philly, after I got traded from Chicago, I thought we had a good chance that year, but it didn't work out.

''I look forward, and I came to Boston, and our goal of the organization and this team is to win a Stanley Cup and I want to be part of that. It's not going to be easy."

Zhamnov had other offers for his services, but when he examined Boston's roster, he thought he was a good fit.

''There are a lot of guys here who have a lot of experience in this league," he said. ''Brian Leetch came to this team, too.

''I didn't have a lot of chances in my career to play against Boston because I always played in the West -- just last year, when I played for Philadelphia. They're a pretty good team with a lot of speed and a lot of skill and a lot of experience. I think the coach [Mike Sullivan], he respects every player in this dressing room and the players respect him a lot.

''We have Joe Thornton, Sergei Samsonov, and Glen Murray, and they have a lot of skills."

The Bruins have Zhamnov penciled in to play with Samsonov, whose back has been ailing a bit, and Zhamnov said the two are somewhat familiar with each other because they played on the 2002 Russian Olympic team.

''I don't know him very well," said Zhamnov. ''I met him for the first time at the Olympics. We didn't play together, we played on different lines, but he's a skilled player and can score some goals. If we play together, we're going to have a lot of fun."

He said the new rules should favor them, provided there is a crackdown on clutching and grabbing. But he'll wait to see what happens.

''A few years ago, when they changed the rules and brought the two referees in, they called it during the exhibition games, but when the season started, they kind of forgot about it," said Zhamnov. ''I hope they're going to continue during the season."