Don Sweeney isn’t closing the door on Pavel Zacha just yet.
The Bruins GM said the team still has “Ongoing communication with Pav’s representative. Good dialogue, have not found a landing spot,” even though a contract extension for the versatile centerman hasn’t come together. Zacha is entering the final year of his deal, and Sweeney made clear Boston still sees his value.
“But we know the importance of Pav to our hockey club. We would like to have him be able to come back, so we’ll continue to talk between now and if we do find a deal.
But Pav’s a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish as an organization. Every player has its’ timeline for a deal and hopefully we get to a landing spot.”
The complication is that Boston can no longer offer the kind of long-term security it once could. With the new CBA now in effect after Tuesday’s rollover, teams can give their own players a maximum of seven years, down from the eight-year term that had been available. For players signing elsewhere, the max is six years.
That matters here because Zacha’s next contract could get expensive. He’s a two-way center who can handle every situation, and with salaries climbing around the league, he could be in line for an eight-figure deal next summer if he reaches free agency.
But the Bruins also have to think about the rest of their center pipeline and where the money is headed. Last week, they locked up Fraser Minten on a seven-year deal worth $7.2 million per season. Next summer could bring an even bigger number for James Hagens, while Dean Letourneau is another center the organization is hoping will eventually command a major contract after his time at Boston College.
Sweeney pointed to the broader market shift as teams adjust to the rising cap and the new financial landscape.
“There’s a ripple effect around the league. Sometimes it’s reactionary, sometimes you’re being proactive.
In the case of Fraser, we felt that way,” said Sweeney of the current trends. “But it always comes back to the comparable players.
Some of it is built on projection and crossing your fingers that guys are going to take that next step. There’s market reaction across the league in terms of what you may want to do with your younger players versus your older players versus the guys in between.
At some point in time, there could be a squeeze. But credit to the players and the league, the cap has gone up and now the reactions are coming from each of the clubs.
A lot of discussion has gone on as a result of it and you just have to hammer away at the decision you have to make in the best interests of your hockey club.”
In Other News...
Bruins Just Made Their Matt Poitras Decision More Interesting
Matt Poitras is staying in the Bruins organization a little longer, and the new contract says plenty about where things stand with one of the clubs more intriguing young forwards. Boston signed the 2022 second-round pick to a one-year, two-way extension, a move that keeps him under team control through the 2026-27 season while leaving his immediate role flexible as the Bruins sort out their roster picture.
Poitras has already logged 69 NHL games with Boston, but last season also sent him back to Providence for a long stretch, a reminder that his path to a full-time job still isnt settled. With the Bruins 2026 training camp roster and preseason schedule now in view, his standing becomes one of the more interesting items to watch as camp approaches and the competition for spots starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Leadership Call Is Coming With One Huge Question Attached
Bostons leadership picture got a little clearer at training camp when general manager Don Sweeney said the Bruins will have a captain in place before the season begins. It is a notable step for a team that has leaned on a broader leadership group in recent years, and it puts an official end date on the waiting as camp opens and the roster starts taking shape.
The obvious name in the mix is David Pastrnak, who remains the expected front-runner, but the bigger takeaway is how smoothly the room appears to be handling the conversation. Charlie McAvoy said there would be no friction if the job goes another way, underscoring a collaborative approach that should make the decision easier to manage even if the choice itself still carries real weight. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Just Made Another Matt Poitras Decision Worth Watching
Matt Poitras is sticking around the Bruins organization for at least another season after Boston signed the young forward to a one-year extension. It is another reminder that the team still sees value in a player it selected in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, especially one who has already logged time in both the NHL and AHL and remains part of the clubs longer-term conversation.
What makes the move worth watching is how the Bruins continue to balance Poitras development against their immediate roster needs. He spent most of last season with Providence while getting only a brief look in Boston, and that split leaves his next step very much in play as the organization decides whether he is ready for a larger role or still needs more time to round out his game. [Read more 🡒]