One of the narratives surrounding NHL clubs across the board is the desire to land top-six centers. It seems like every team in the league is looking for one and is willing to pay to get one.
Well, it just so happens the Bruins have one in Pavel Zacha. And he needs a new contract. That situation makes him a prime trade candidate. Zacha, whose four-year $19 million deal is set to expire at the end of this upcoming season, will be on various teams’ radar.
Who wouldn’t want a 30-goal scorer on a $4.75 million cap hit?
That’s what Zacha brings to the table. Last season’s 30 tallies and 65 points were all career highs. It seems that he’s finally fit the ceiling befitting his first-round draft pick pedigree. Even so, it could mean that he’ll still hit the block this season.
The biggest reason for moving Zacha could be his desire for a massive pay bump. If the Bruins don’t want to give it to him, someone out there will. That’s just a reality.
And that situation could pretty much mean Don Sweeney will want to maximize his return. Perhaps getting a return similar to the Brandon Carlo deal would make sense for Sweeney. But then again, there’s an argument to be made that the Bruins should take whatever they can get.
Bruins should cash in on Zacha now, while his value is at an all-time high
There is plenty of reason to believe that Zacha’s 2025-26 numbers are an outlier. He had a career year and may never put up numbers like that again. As such, it’s quite likely his numbers will settle back into his career averages.
That’s why the best thing Sweeney can do is cash in now for whatever he can get. If the return means getting a bunch of different draft picks and a couple of mid-tier prospects, so be it.
The beauty in making a deal like this is that the Sweeney will have dry powder ready for another deal to happen. If throughout means waiting until the NHL trade deadline, well, patience will be the name of the game.
And that’s just it. Patience is what the Bruins will need to show in this entire situation. If the plan is to keep Zacha, well, this entire conversation is moot. But if the plan is to move on from him, selling high and taking whatever Sweeney can get will be a high priority.
The last thing Sweeney and the Bruins will want is for Zacha to struggle and subsequently tank his market value.
So, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see Zacha on the move sooner rather than later.
