The Boston Bruins have made a considerable amount of moves this offseason. It started with the hiring of new head coach Marco Sturm on June 10th. The new bench boss then collaborated with general manager Don Sweeney to sign nine players on day one of NHL free agency, and trade for one other. The latest project the duo is rumored to be working on is moving the team’s second line winger, Pavel Zacha.
According to the Fourth Period’s summer trade watch list, Zacha’s spot is not guaranteed come October.
“The Bruins explored the trade market on Zacha during the season and there is belief out there that Boston is looking, again, at moving him,” the article read. “His 10-team no-trade list turns to an eight-team list July 1, so he does have some say in where he ends up, if dealt. He has two years remaining on his contract.”
Potential Trade Partners For Pavel Zacha
The Fourth Period’s panel of experts highlights the Utah Mammoth and the Vancouver Canucks as potential dance partners, but didn’t elaborate further on the decision. However, with multiple sources reporting the Zacha rumors, Yahoo writer Michael DeRosa highlights a handful of teams who could play ball.
“With the Flames being a team on the rise, they also could like Zacha because of his contract,” DeRosa writes. “The 2015 first-round pick has an affordable $4.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season, so he would be more than a one-year rental for them if acquired… The Flames also have a very appealing trade candidate in defenseman Rasmus Andersson.”
DeRosa also highlights the Canucks as a potential suitor. The Canucks have really seen their troops ravaged this summer. With the J.T. Miller trade, and Pius Suter potentially being on his way out the door, one of last year’s Stanley Cup hopefuls could be looking for a few more forwards.
“When looking at Vancouver’s forward group, Zacha could provide them with an upgrade at the second-line center spot over Filip Chytil,” DeRosa continued. “Furthermore, he would give them an option for both their power play and penalty kill.”
The final team named in DeRosa’s hypothetical is the Minnesota Wild. As a team that hasn’t been able to get over the bump in the last few seasons, an inexpensive middle of the road top six forward is right up their alley.
“With Zacha being a versatile player, he could slot very nicely at left wing on the Wild’s second line with Joel Eriksson and Matt Boldy if acquired,” DeRosa concludes. “However, he also would help the Wild if he played center, as it is one of the weaker positions on their depth chart.”
Can Boston Survive Without Zacha
Expectations for this iteration of the Boston Bruins are already not high to begin with. After selling at the trade deadline, the rebuild is in full swing in Title Town. Even so, Boston’s front six remains formidable.
The projected lineup of Morgan Geekie-Elias Lindholm-David Pastrnak can hold its own. After the trade, the second line projection is looking like Pavel Zacha- Casey Mittelstadt- Viktor Arvidsson.
Barring some serious development from young players like Matt Poitras, the B’s can’t survive without Zacha’s average 50+ point season. I think trading a forward who is consistently delivering 20 minutes a game with special team shifts and clutch time goals would be a massive miss step. It will all come down to how committed the front office is to a “rebuild”.
