Raise your hand if you had the Boston Bruins ' second line of Pavel Zacha, Casey Mittlestadt, and Viktor Arvidsson being one of the most consistent lines in 2025-26. Raise your hand if you saw Zacha, Mittelstadt, and Avridsson were going to be one of the top second lines in the NHL?
I didn't think so.
That line was a key part of the Bruins regular season success and a reason why they surprised a lot of people to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the top Eastern Conference wild-card team. However, despite all the success that line had, there are questions as to who, if any, will be back next season. Trade rumors are swirling already around Zacha, and Arvidsson is scheduled to be a free agent. Before we look ahead as to what could happen this offseason, here is a grade for Pavel Zacha's 2025-26 season.
Pavel Zacha 2025-26 regular season
What a regular season for Zacha. He again set career highs, this time goals with 30 and points with 65. He had 35 assists and averaged 16:51 a night. He was injured right before the Olympic Break, which cost him a spot with Czechia in the Olympics, but he was able to return for the stretch run in Boston.
His great regular season puts a lot of questions on the shoulders of GM Don Sweeney about how to handle Zacha going forward. In an ideal world, signing him to an extension makes sense going into the final year of his contract; however, his name has been popping up in trade rumors, and maybe he'll have to be moved to fill an existing need for a top-line center.
Pavel Zacha 2026 postseason
You can add Zacha to the list of Bruins players who struggled against the Buffalo Sabres in the first-round playoff series. He had one goal and three points, while averaging 18:07 per game. Zacha finished with a dismal plus/minus of minus-7.
Arvidsson supplied some offense for the line with two goals; however, he was injured in Game 4 of the series and didn't return. That broke up Boston's best and most consistent line at the worst possible time. They were struggling for offense as it was, but losing Arvidsson was a big blow to the lineup.
All eyes will be on Zacha and Sweeney this offseason. If a big trade happens, it'll likely happen before the NHL Entry Draft. If not, then an extension could be in order.
Pavel Zacha 2025-26 Grade: A-
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