Bruins' Zacha Still Primarily Linked To 2 Teams

It wouldn't be a great decision for the Boston Bruins to go into a rebuild, but a retooling is definitely needed. They have some elite pieces at every position, but beyond that, there isn't a whole lot. Pavel Zacha is one of the top players on the team and it showed last season when he logged over 19 minutes per game and finished with 14 goals and 47 points.

The defense and goaltending may be able to keep the Bruins somewhat competitive for a time next season, but overall, a lot of things have to go right for this team, the way it looks, to make the playoffs and have any sort of chance.

Trading Zacha now while his value is higher and he has two years left on his deal at $4.75 million AAV could be the right move to change out some pieces and even get multiple pieces back. A lot of work has to be done to the lineup and it may very well start with moving Zacha now. This upcoming draft is one to get excited about, and the Bruins could have a chance at one of the top picks that could be franchise altering.

Having said that, there are two teams that Zacha has been linked to for a while, the Vancouver Canucks and Utah Mammoth.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks should have around the right amount of cap space to acquire Zacha if they put a better attempt at pulling him away from the Bruins. There aren't a ton of center options and the other ones are much more expensive to acquire, though they would be better long-term solutions. In the case of Zacha, a two-year window to see how he fits in and contributes is good for the Canucks who don't really know their direction at the moment. They aren't good enough to compete for a Stanley Cup, but aren't bad enough to finish at the bottom of the league barring a lot of injuries to the wrong players.

The Canucks need a top-6 center and Zacha has proven he can be that player. If need be, he can also shift over to the wing and be just as effective even though his faceoff percentage has been over 53% for the last two seasons. Zacha could reunite with Jake DeBrusk on the second line and pushing Filip Chytil down to the third line would make the team look a lot better and deeper.

Utah Mammoth

The reason the Mammoth are looking to acquire a player like Zacha is different from the Canucks. While the Mammoth are more set down the middle, they do need an upgrade and have space and assets to acquire someone. Zacha would fit in perfectly given he can play center or the wing, whether it be on the second or third line. Utah needs that extra piece to complete their lineup and give them an even better chance of jumping back into the playoff picture. They look much better already.

Barrett Hayton would probably hold onto his spot as the second line center, but Zacha would most definitely bolster that third line as Jack McBain or Alexander Kerfoot should drop to the fourth line. Someone like Liam O'Brien shouldn't be an everyday player, and as of now, he is slotted to be. The Mammoth would probably have to give up a near NHL-ready prospect or better draft pick to acquire Zacha, but the two-years they'd have him would also be perfect for the team.