Bruins Will Need Zacha’s Flexibility Early in 2022-23

Over the past two NHL trade deadlines, the Boston Bruins were rumored to have interest in New Jersey Devils forward Pavel Zacha. At both deadlines, the Devils ended up holding onto Zacha, but that all changed in July. Boston general manager (GM) Don Sweeney acquired Zacha in a trade for Erik Haula. 

Related: Boston Bruins Trade Haula to New Jersey Devils for Zacha

Zacha was scheduled to be a restricted free agent (RFA) this summer and was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing on Thursday to settle his contract with the Black and Gold. Monday afternoon, the Bruins announced that they agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Zacha, which makes him a free agent after the 2022-23 season. With Zacha under contract, Sweeney and the Bruins are hoping to get the most potential out of him in his first season in Boston.

Zacha Was up and Down in New Jersey

New Jersey selected Zacha sixth overall in the 2015 Entry Draft, so he never made it to the Bruins and Sweeney who had the 13th, 14th, and 15th overall picks. It didn’t take the 25-year-old long to find himself with the Devils after he made the roster in the 2016-17 season. In 386 games, he had 69 goals and 110 assists over six seasons, but he is coming off of a career year in points 36 in 2021-22 and he had his second-highest total in goals (15) and assists (21) on a team that once again struggled in the Eastern Conference.

Zacha provided flexibility for Devils coach Lindy Ruff by playing both on the left wing as well as at center. His Corsi For (CF%) last season was 57.1-percent (%) and his Fenwick For (FF%) was 55.7%, both are season highs for Zacha in a season where he has played 50 or more games. His career face-off percentage is 46.3%, but last season, he was 50.1% a year after posting a career-high of 51.5% in 2020-21. 

There were also times when he struggled, scoring just eight goals in 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2019-20, while never potting more than 17 in a season. This season, however, he will have an opportunity to play on a team that has playmakers and that should give him the confidence to score more than he has in the past.

Bruins Getting Middle-Six Options With Zacha

Now that Zacha is officially under contract, he is going to provide first-year coach Jim Montgomery with a lot of options in determining his fit with this Bruins roster. If there is any season in recent memory where the Bruins need middle-six…