Pavel Zacha has been rumored as a trade candidate for a while now, but the Boston Bruins and their sturdy center are heading on a path that could make things quite complicated.
Summed up simply: The Bruins look to be pretty darn good.
And would a team that’s playing really well actually trade away a veteran center who is in or not-far-removed-from his prime?
That’s the question the Bruins are going to have to answer about Zacha as this season goes along.
Pavel Zacha Trade Update
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston included Zacha in his trade board published on Wednesday, suggesting that he thinks the center could be moved at some point this season.
The main reason Zacha is going to linger in trade talks is because as it stands, he’ll be a free agent at the end of this season. Teams don’t like letting players’ contracts expire.
Either the Bruins can find an extension for Zacha, or they can get a future asset by trading him.
The only other outcome is if the Bruins decide to treat Zacha like their own rental — deciding that by keeping him, they increase their playoff chances enough that it’s worth it.
Complications in Boston
If the Bruins had started this season slow, the Zacha trade rumors would be even louder right about now.
But the longer Boston plays well, the harder it’ll be to come up with what an ideal Zacha trade might look like.
“There’s a number at which the Bruins would be happy to sign Zacha to a contract extension before he’s due to hit free agency next summer,” Johnston writes. “However, with the market shifting leverage in favor of players, it’s becoming tougher to see the sides finding alignment on a new deal. That could leave Boston in a fascinating position with Zacha as this season goes on. The Bruins have been extraordinarily competitive out of the gate after qualifying for the playoffs last season, but they’re not yet in a win-now mode.”
If Zacha ends up on the block, he’ll be quite desired by other teams — and his cap hit for this season is a very manageable $4.75 million.
“Zacha plays a premium position and is a big man who is difficult to contend with in the offensive zone, which will make him appealing as a trade chip,” Johnston writes.
So for teams that want Zacha, it’s worth watching how the Bruins are playing. If Boston starts to stumble, it may be a lot easier for them to justify dealing away Zacha.
Bruins’ Pavel Zacha Trade Could Get Complicated