Talk about a whirlwind of a season. The Boston Bruins have endured multiple losing streaks, while also going on multiple winning streaks. There have been too many ups and downs to keep track of.
Last season at the trade deadline, general manager Don Sweeney sold and sold big. He traded away Brad Marchand, Trent Frederic, Brandon Carlo, and Charlie Coyle, to name a few. The returns are beginning to prove that it was the right decision.
Fast forward 11 months, and the Bruins are stuck in the middle of buying, selling, or just standing pat. They have been mentioned in some rumors, but they have been just that, rumors. However, one name that has been mentioned is Pavel Zacha. It's hard to envision the Bruins trading him, but you never know. One NHL writer believes it's unlikely that he's moved by the deadline.
Bleacher Report buy's the Bruins not trading Pavel Zacha
Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report did a buy or sell on some of the latest rumors ahead of the deadline in early March, and he doesn't see the Bruins trading Zacha, which isn't surprising.
"The Bruins battled inconsistency through the first half of this season, but their recent surge in the standings suggests they won't be sellers this season. Zacha's played a key role in their improvement, sitting third among their scorers with 35 points in (49) games,'' Richardson wrote.
Aside from Zacha's production, he's been a key player in the lineup for the Bruins this season. He plays in all situations, but he's been a staple for first-year head coach Marco Sturm. You get the feeling that Sweeney sees Zacha as part of the future; he has one-year remaining on his contract with a $4.75 million AAV, and a more likely trade candidate is Casey Mittlestadt. Zacha's contract is one that contenders would love to take on for this season and next, but it is easy to see him as part of the Black and Gold next season. We're buying this as well.