As is the case going into every season, there are some contracts on the books that NHL teams have that are good and some that are not so good. In the case of the Boston Bruins, there are a lot of contracts that fans would argue are good ones and some bad ones.
Earlier this week, we listed the three worst contracts that the Black and Gold currently have on the books going into the 2026-27 season. Not everyone is going to agree, but let's look at the three best contracts that money can buy for general manager Don Sweeney this upcoming season.
David Pastrnak
When David Pastrnak signed his current deal a couple of seasons ago, some fans thought that the deal wasn't going to age well. However, after seeing some of the contracts being handed out this offseason and the AAVs that some players are getting upward of $18 million, well, this is a contract that is going to age very well for the Black and Gold.
Pastrnak is an elite goal-scorer and player while making $11.25 million a season on his current contract, which is eight years and $90 million. He is almost a lock for 40 goals a season, although he only had 29 last year but dished out 71 assists. Turning into a playmaker, this is a contract that is going to look better and better each passing season.
Pavel Zacha
There have been some trades that have turned into gold for Sweeney, and ranking near the top of that list was a deal swung for center Pavel Zacha from the New Jersey Devils for fellow pivot Erik Haula in July of 2022. Zacha is entering the final year of his contract, which was four years and $19 million with an AAV of $4.75 million. Given his production, that is turning into a steal.
Zacha is coming off a career season in 2025-26 with 30 goals and 65 points, centering the second line with Casey Mittlestadt and Viktor Arvidsson. However, going into the upcoming season, there are questions surrounding his future in Boston. If he remains to begin the season, he'll likely slide into the No. 1 center role, and having a No. 1 center under $5 million is quite the deal.
Jeremy Swayman
When Jeremy Swayman sat out of training camp in 2024, it was the worst move he could have made. Sweeney playing hardball didn't help either. It all added up to a season where the Black and Gold ended up in the basement of the Eastern Conference, tied with the Philadelphia Flyers. However, Swayman's new deal, which carries an AAV of $8.25 million, is a bargain right now compared to other goalies.
Five goalies are making more money than Swayman in a year with their AAV, and only one, Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, made the postseason last spring. Swayman was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this past season, but came up short in the voting. He was a big reason why the Black and Gold were able to make the playoffs in a bounce-back season. Given the other names with higher AAVs between the pipes, this is a bargain deal for Boston.
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