The Boston Bruins could have a hot commodity on their hands. The club has reportedly been fielding calls on center Pavel Zacha this summer.
According to a new report by James Murphy of RG Media published on September 11, the Bruins have gotten offers from numerous clubs around the league. The offers have sought to pluck Zacha away from the Bruins to fill a much-needed second-line center role.
Murphy’s anonymous league sources have named the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames, among other clubs, as the main parties interested in pulling off a trade involving Zacha.
The Flames view themselves as playoff contenders after narrowly missing the postseason last year. Meanwhile, division rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, believe they could have a shot at a long playoff run. As such, they could be in the mix to land the 28-year-old Zacha.
The source told Murphy:
“The Canadiens definitely have interest in Zacha and have inquired about him, but they're not the only team. Several teams — I’m told the Flames are one — continue to express interest in him.”
There has even been a timeline attached to a potential trade. The anonymous source revealed:
“Donny [Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney] is not shopping him. This is just him doing his job and listening. I don’t see this as something that would happen before American Thanksgiving. If the Bruins get off to another brutal start and the Holiday trade freeze is looming, well, then this could become a lot more than just listening, but that goes for other Bruins players too, not just Zacha.”
If the Bruins happen to be out of the playoff picture by Thanksgiving, the club could act on the trade offers on the table. While Zacha may be a significant player of interest, other players could also be in the mix.
At this point, the only seemingly untouchable players in Boston would be David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman.
Insider reveals offer Bruins got from Canadiens for Zacha
The anonymous source revealed to Murphy what the Canadiens are willing to pay for Pavel Zacha. The source stated that forward prospects Joshua Roy and Oliver Kapanen were on the table in exchange for Zacha.
Another intriguing name is defenseman Jayden Struble. The source had this to say about the Bruins’ interest in Struble:
“I know he’s a guy they’ve liked, but it would take more than him to acquire Zacha.”
In other words, Zacha won’t come cheap, especially for a division rival like the Habs. It’s worth pointing out that the last time the Bruins and Canadiens traded a player was back in 2001. This year, the clubs exchanged picks at the 2025 NHL Draft.
So, assuming a deal between the Bruins and Canadiens could work out seems a bit far-fetched.
Ultimately, no trade is imminent involving Zacha. But fans should keep an eye out because a bad start by the club could force Don Sweeney to blow things up and move some of his more coveted assets.