By: Ryan Bosworth | Follow me on Twitter/X @RyanJBosworth
Pavel Zacha has been a Boston Bruin for four seasons, and each year, his value seems to increase. From a one-for-one trade that saw Erik Haula go to New Jersey, to new rumors and rumblings surrounding the average annual value and term of his next deal — which he’s eligible to sign on July 1 — Zacha has proven more and more valuable to the Bruins. Now, it could be time to consider cashing in on that value through trade.
The Bruins 2025-26 season, both regular season and postseason, revealed several areas of need for this Bruins team — speed and skill among the top most important things they need to add. There’s one real way to add that this offseason, and it’s through trade.
As Pavel Zacha enters the final year of his four-year, $19 million contract, his value has grown and grown each season he’s been in Boston. He signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract for the 2022-23 season, before signing his current four-year contract extension, which is set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season.
Pavel and the Bruins’ front office can begin extension talks on July 1. However, the Bruins could utilize his skill and value elsewhere, and that’s in a trade.
Zacha has emerged as a true number-two center after posting a 30-goal, 65-point season, which is a career-high in goals and points. Largely influencing a dominant second-line for Boston, playing in between Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson, Zacha’s stock has shot up after the 2025-26 season, and it’s known there are some teams looking for that style of player, and are willing to pay for them.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean you trade Zacha no matter what. He’s proven to be a valuable asset in Boston, and can – and will – sign for a significant raise once eligible. However, if Zacha and an additional asset (second-round pick?) can help you acquire a top-ten pick in the upcoming draft or a young, promising player you can implement into your NHL roster, you have to consider.
There’s more than one team that need support in their top-six, and Zacha is a prime candidate to fill that role for a number of teams throughout the NHL. While the Bruins are one of those teams that can utilize Zacha’s skill, the return that you could get from a team with a high first-round pick would be too valuable to pass on. However, you don’t need to sell on him right this instance.
Sure, his stock value has never been higher. With that being said, if you commit to him to start the 2026-27 season, and he continues performing at the level he performed at in the 2025-26 season, his stock, especially near the trade deadline, will certainly get you a haul. It’s all a matter of what the Bruins are trying to get out of a trade package for him.
If it’s draft capital, perhaps a top-10-15 pick in the 2026 Entry Draft, you package him with an additional player or second or third-round pick and see if you can find a suitor. Or, if it’s help for the roster right now, which is a glaring need as David Pastrnak put it, perhaps you resign Zacha and make a trade during the 2026-27 season.
Whatever the plan may be, and however things may unfold, one thing stands true: the Bruins absolutely need to listen on every trade call made for Pavel Zacha.
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