Insider Drops Significant Update on Pavel Zacha Trade Rumors

Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha's name has been front and...center on the rumor mill in the early stages of the season. That's undoubtedly due to a combination of the Bruins' slow start and the demand massively outweighing the supply on viable centers around the league these days.

But insider Pierre LeBrun, speaking on TSN's Insider Trading, has dropped some significant intel on the chances of a Zacha trade this season (hint: it's slim to none).

What I'm being told, in terms of the Boston Bruins, is that they view Pavel Zacha as a long-term fit... Don't be surprised if they try to extend him this summer.
They look at him, at 28 years old, as being age-appropriate for the transition of their roster, or the retool, whatever you want to call it, but they feel he fits them very well and they want to keep him around.

Zacha has another year remaining after this one on a four-year, $19 million deal ($4.75M AAV), so he'll be eligible for an extension on July 1.

Canucks were told Zacha was not available

LeBrun confirmed that the Vancouver Canucks, for one, did inquire with the Bruins about Zacha's availability this past summer, but were told he wasn't.

Zacha, the 6'4", 211-pound left-shot center, is a two-way player who contributes at both ends of the ice, and on both the power play and penalty kill as well. He has averaged over 54 points a season over the last three years, including back-to-back 21-goal campaigns in 2022-23 and '23-'24. He's off to a good start this season, with nine points in 11 games thus far.

The Czech Republic native was a first-round pick by New Jersey in 2015 (6th overall), and spent the first seven years of his career with the Devils, and the last three+ in Beatown. In 639 career games, he has 127 goals, 224 assists and 351 points.