After the Boston Bruins were bounced in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Buffalo Sabres last month, rumors began to swirl for what is expected to be a big offseason. Trade rumors are swirling, and that just might have to be the way that the Bruins address their needs.
The free agent market is quietly drying up with players either re-signing with their teams or being part of a sign-and-trade, which is sure to take almost all the fun out of free agency. There have already been some moves like that, including Darren Raddysh going from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Read More: Bruins' GM Don Sweeney made a crystal clear stance about any potential upcoming trades
Don Sweeney met with the media on Wednesday ahead of this week's NHL Entry Draft and free agency beginning next week. He addressed trade rumors surrounding one of his top players, Pavel Zacha, and whether or not he'll remain with the Black and Gold or could he be on the move?
Bruins GM Don Sweeney makes a clear stance on center Pavel Zacha
There is a dire need for teams around the NHL for centers. Nobody knows that better than the Bruins and Sweeney. They need to add down the middle. One player who has been part of trade rumors has been Zacha, and Sweeney apparently tried to put those rumors to bed on Wednesday, according to Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Sweeney: “My goal is to extend Pavel Zacha. He’s a big part of our team.”
— Ty Anderson (@_TyAnderson) June 24, 2026
Extending Zacha is the most likely outcome for the Bruins when all is said and done. Could Sweeney trade him? Sure, he could trade anybody, but given what Zacha has meant to the Bruins since coming over in a trade with the New Jersey Devils, well, the only likely outcome this summer is re-signing him.
Why would Sweeney trade one of the top players from a position of need? Extending Zacha would also keep some of the core players, including David Pastrnak, happy. The Bruins are watching the rest of the conference and division get better, and they need to strike sooner rather than later themselves, but trading a player like Zacha rather than extending him doesn't really make sense. We'll see what happens.
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