Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney will soon have a big decision to make regarding a key player. Star center Pavel Zacha is entering his final season of a four-year, $19 million ($4.75 million AAV) contract. At the moment, his annual cap hit is a bargain considering he is coming off a 30-goal season. Nevertheless, the Czech forward is not expected to keep up this pace during the 2026-27 campaign.
In fact, ESPN’s Rachel Kryshak believes that Zacha will significantly regress this coming season. As the reporter points out, the Bruins forward benefited last year from a career-high shooting percentage of 22.9%. Interestingly, the center had nearly the same number of shots on goal in 2025-26 as in the previous campaign. However, his shooting percentage was just 10.6% in 2024-25.
On top of this, Fraser Minten’s role with the Boston Bruins could very well increase this season. The youngster recently signed a seven-year, $50.4 million extension with the club. Because of these factors, Kryshak specifically named Zacha as “most likely to see the biggest step back” among the NHL players they picked to regress in 2026-27.
Sweeney is surely well aware of this particular possibility. While Zacha was linked with a trade all summer, the Bruins exec likely wants to see how the veteran center fares to start the campaign before making a decision. Whether this is a contract extension or a potential trade remains to be seen. Either way, Boston will have to decide in the coming months.
Boston Bruins Linked to Offloading Pavel Zacha While his Value is High
Although the Boston Bruins could look to re-sign Zacha, a trade is perhaps the more likely scenario. Bleacher Report’s Joe Yerdon has even included the star center in his list of pending free agents who could soon get traded. According to Yerdon, the forward would be a top target for contending teams if Boston falls behind in the competitive Atlantic Division.
The Bruins previously finished fourth in the division last season. While Sweeney added some firepower in J.J. Peterka this summer, the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are widely expected to be significantly better in 2026-27. Both of these clubs finished at the bottom of the Atlantic a year ago.
The Boston Bruins acquired Zacha in a 2022 deal with the New Jersey Devils. In landing the center, Sweeney sent Erik Haula in the other direction. Since the move, Haula has not been able to eclipse the 44-point total that he reached during his lone campaign in Boston. Zacha, on the other hand, has taken a major step forward with the Bruins. Sweeney could see a similar opportunity to cash in on a potentially regressing player once again.
Boston Likely has the Funds to Reward Star
Ultimately, the Boston Bruins will make their final decision on Zacha based on multiple factors. The star’s performances on the ice will obviously help Sweeney determine what to do with him. The team’s place in the standings is also a significant consideration.
Contract negotiations between the player and team will be an interesting aspect of the situation as well. According to PuckPedia.com, the Bruins have just over $5 million in projected cap space. This figure, however, jumps to nearly $27 million next summer. As a result, Boston can reward Zacha if they choose to do so. Nevertheless, Sweeney is seemingly more likely to explore a trade as of now.
Bruins Expected to Trade $19 Million Star Due to Regression