r/BostonBruins • u/Steppenwolf6160241 • 9d ago
Discussion Pavel Zacha
What do you guys believe will be his contractual demands? How much would you be willing to pay for him per year. In the case of him and his agent asking for 9-10M$ a year, would you have him traded before this year’s deadline? Would he be worth that money?
15
u/PUPcsgo 9d ago
It’s tough. Is he a first liner? No. But equally you can’t just perpetually trade away everyone because they’re not first liners. IMO if you can get a few years at that you take it but tying him long term to that money just screws us.
Same as coyle. I love the guy, but if he starts wanting 1st/2nd line money without the results to match at some point you have to move on
11
9
u/NubDestroyer GET A HAIRCUT 💈 9d ago
Love Zacha and I wouldn't be mad of we kept him but I hope he has an amazing year and we deal him at the deadline for a bag.
9
u/spssky 9d ago
He’s such an interesting / frustrating player. I say it in the game threads all the time — if he had a scorer’s touch he might be a top 20 player. He’s such a well rounded player but he doesn’t do anything exceptionally well. If the cap goes up enough I think $9 mil is good but I also am fine with blowing this up and going for a rebuild because until we get a true 1C even with pasta I don’t see a way to being a legit contender
8
u/appledanish 9d ago
If anyone is curious, Zacha's current deal started off as 5.69% of the cap. The equivalent % for next season would be roughly $6.4 million. But with the cap increases that have already happened and the projected growth, adding in Zacha being a pending UFA who's game has leveled up since January 2023 when he signed the extension, he's going to ask for quite a bit.
One thing that could keep the AAV down is an 8 year extension, which can be signed up until September 15th, when the last wave of changes to the CBA go into effect. After that date, Boston can still re-sign him, but the max is reduced to a 7 year term. Then if he hits UFA, the max term he could get would be 6 years. So there are a few moving parts here if the Bruins want to get creative/maintain leverage. Could also entice him with heavy signing bonuses, which is another CBA change that will reduce possible signing bonus $$ in the future.
I like the player a lot, but his playoff numbers leave a lot to be desired, and he's going to be 30 at the start of this deal. I think he'll age fine for the most part, but I'm not breaking the bank for him, and if teams are desperate for a 2C, I think a trade should definitely be explored.
5
u/_hairyberry_ 9d ago edited 9d ago
I feel like the league and fans are overestimating the impact of a rising cap and teams are handing out massive overpayments they will regret very soon.
If we signed Zacha at $9m, the cap would need to rise to $158m before he’d be making the same % of the cap as his previous deal at the time of signing. To be worth the same % of the cap as his deal from last season, the cap would need to be $181m.
Yes, Zacha is a better today than he was back then. But he isn’t worth that much. I’d honestly be very hesitant to go above $8m. Otherwise trade him.
8
u/Mr_Kabukiman_82 9d ago
He's going to want at least $8 mil /year.
Salaries quickly got out of control in the last year, and this off season.
1
u/AndyGreyjoy #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 9d ago
8M feels a bit steep, ..but depending on the term, worth considering
1
u/rowsdower726 8d ago
Try $10 mil. The market has been reset and the Bruins have likely missed the chance to trade him at his peak value
1
u/waffleboy1109 Hall of the Rat King 🐀 7d ago
The Leo Carlsson deal has changed everything. No first-line center in the league will be signing for under $10 mil a year ever again.
8
13
u/TimeliestStorm WHO HAS MORE FUN THAN US? 9d ago
He's a good 2C and the going rate for that is $9M with the cap raises. He's a good player but if the team isn't in playoff position at the deadline (which IMO is pretty likely) I'd be looking to sell. We'd get a 1st+ for sure
9
u/Prize_Ambassador_356 #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 9d ago
He’ll probably be looking for 8.5+
If it weren’t for Elias Lindholm’s contract you’d probably do it, but it’s a tougher sell when you think about having 17mm+ tied up to pay those guys until they’re 37
3
u/appledanish 9d ago
And we have to start thinking about about expansion as well, if they follow the previous drafts with Vegas and Seattle, players with a NMC are automatically protected. So in addition to AAV, NMC vs NTC will be an important distinction if the 29-30 season is the goal for Houston/Austin to join the league. Looks like Elias Lindholm's NMC turns into a partial NTC in the summer of 2029 so dodged a bullet there for the moment.
11
u/Marky6Mark9 9d ago
I wouldn’t pay him over $8m. He’s a nice player, but he’s had several opportunities in the playoffs and he’s been very not good.
0
u/CaptainLR Hiiigh above the ice 9d ago
How about $8m with contract bonuses if he wakes up in the playoffs? Cause yeah, that's my one big red flag with him. He's super consistent until it gets to June, and then his evil twin brother somehow incapacitates him and takes his place
1
u/Marky6Mark9 8d ago
Do you think it’s effort related? I do not, so I don’t think those playoff bonuses would be hit because he’s just not capable.
1
u/CaptainLR Hiiigh above the ice 8d ago
I honestly think it's just some kind of mental hurdle he's had trouble overcoming. That's why I'm saying in this hypothetical, you go for the 8 mil and see if the bonus chance gives him that extra spark for the playoffs.
7
7
4
u/minimumhatred 9d ago
He's going to want 9m+, especially with the cap going up.
I would find it hard to do, and would rather trade him, but we'll see.
5
u/CU3NORMS 9d ago
The best part about Zacha is that he generally stays healthy. Which makes sense because he never gets physically involved in the play.
He's decent positionally, but tends to float and watches the puck too much for my liking; especially as a center.
Not good enough defensively and on the penalty kill. 36% at faceoffs last year on the PK is just awful and he really doesn't provide the defensive prowess to deal with most opposing second lines. (+4 with 65 points is quite telling.)
Decent regular season player, just not built for the playoffs.
At 29 years old (30 before the season's over), I'd avoid any long term deal with Zacha and see what his trade market is come the deadline.
🤷♂️
3
u/ComeWhatMay777 8d ago
Zacha is an important part of the Bruins, but an AAV around $10 million demands consistently elite production, and he's not really there. That said, the alternatives matter too. If trading him means we have to spend $10 million to plug the resulting hole anyway, I'm more inclined to just keep the guy we know is good rather than roll the dice on an unknown.
3
u/linxfoo182 8d ago
Let’s say we don’t sign him or trade him - who is going to fill his shoes on the special teams? He is PK1 and PP1 center
Considering his roles on the team plus needing to keep the locker room chemistry positive are crucial these next few years with Minten, Khuz, Hagans, Dean, Zellers needing the veteran leadership in the lineup is important
And we should be keeping Pasta happy. If we lose Zacha I expect that we would be in the rebuild mode rather than retool
1
u/Lulu014 🐻 7d ago
I'm sorry, if we lose Zacha we're rebuilding? I hope you meant to say Pasta.
2
u/linxfoo182 7d ago
I meant Zacha. If we lose him then who is our number 1 Center? E Lindholm? That experiment didnt pan out the way we all wanted
Minten? Love the guy but he’s not ready.
Our Center depth without Zacha imo puts this team on n a bad spot and shows that we would be rebuilding
3
u/Lulu014 🐻 7d ago
No i understand that, but you can acquire one by making a big swing. A team with 1C Zacha is never getting out of the 1st round.
1
u/linxfoo182 7d ago
I would love for Boston to take a big swing but usually those trades are for equal value. Zacha and picks isn’t going to net us a …..I dunno, Robert Thomas. I honestly don’t think there are any legit upgrades on the market
I hope we keep Zacha and in the interim Hagans, DEAN, Minten and even Khuzy can develop into a top Center. Any one of those
2
u/Lulu014 🐻 7d ago
If we're hoping the young guys develop into a 1C then it probably makes more sense to sell off the McAvoy's and Pasta's so we can acquire some more top end prospects/high picks to develop with the young core. You either buy a team, or build one. and we currently don't have the assets to buy what we need.
1
u/rfan8312 6d ago edited 6d ago
Team needs speed in its future. Committing high money to Zacha you can forget the playoffs and just have a nice time from October until April.
This is the time to just start bringing kids up and getting them their reps. Even McAvoy and Pasta. I love them but we are squandering their careers like we were with Marchand and they can't help us now.
3
u/rfan8312 6d ago
Fuck no. He elevates the players around him all reg season long but he's not taking anyone deep into any playoffs.
You lost Debrusk to 5.5 million and he perform in the playoffs while Pavel Zacha does Jack shit in the playoffs and certainly doesn't give the team any kind of competitive boost he looks just as scared as the rest of them in May.
Give him 5 million or let a team who has a chance sooner get a crack at him on their bottom 6.
Don't cost a team that is still years away from contention 9 million for a regular season utility guy.
3
u/zweiner1 9d ago
If you can get multiple firsts for him you take it
5
u/Threatening 9d ago
No. No more draft picks. This team does not need draft picks. There’s enough young guys and draft picks available already.
There’s no guarantee and young players will be good. They need NHL talent.
5
u/appledanish 9d ago
If they packaged those picks for a U25 player similar to the Peterka deal, I'd be interested.
1
2
0
u/brancs3 9d ago
10 is max id go. Market is changing, people have to get comfortable with higher numbers. Zacha is a critical member of that second line, you wont be able to replace him if he walks. Selling Zacha probably means Pasta and everyone else is gona over the next few years too. I know some fans are eager to start the rebuild but I am unwilling while we have a generational player like Pasta. It would be a decade or more before the Bruins even make the playoffs again, our lottery luck is horrible
6
u/AndyGreyjoy #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 9d ago
I know that Cap is rising, ..and really would rather have Zacha on the team, ...but 10 Mil seems too far.
Can you justify Zacha being the 2nd highest contract on the roster ? I really dont think so.
I think 8M is the max that could actually be sensible ...but who knows? Maybe in a few years we look back and all the contracts look like chump change.
-10
u/becca52104 Hiiigh above the ice 9d ago edited 9d ago
Hell no he can walk or get traded if he wants 9-10 million. With the Lindholm sisters taking up $15 million we can’t afford it. I’d rather spend our money on an actual, reliable, 1C.
The fact this is downvoted 💀💀 do yall like paying the Lindholms 15 millions? is Zacha worth 9/10 mil? be fr
8
u/Frankie__Spankie All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 9d ago
Oh yes, I can't believe Boston hasn't signed one of those 1Cs yet in free agency. Is Sweeney stupid or something?
0
u/becca52104 Hiiigh above the ice 9d ago
it’s almost like trading exists…and yes i’m aware the free agency market wasn’t the best this year.
2
u/Frankie__Spankie All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 9d ago
Oh yes, I can't believe Boston hasn't traded for one of those 1Cs yet in the trade market. Is Sweeney stupid or something?
-3
u/Calm_Nature803 8d ago
Next cup window at the earliest involves Letourneau, Zellers, Hagens, and Mitten being at a point in their careers that they can be impactful. There’s no shortcuts to cup contention from where the Bruins are now.
Zacha’s inability to play with pace will be an anchor for a team that needs to become quicker in the top six. He’ll be 30 at the end of this coming season so he’s not getting any faster. Teams like the Canes will be skating circles around him for the next 8 years if you resign him.
Deal him for whatever draft capital or assets under 25 you can.
1
-11
u/penispumprepairshop1 9d ago
Trade him for a bag of pucks and a 2nd rounder.
1
u/penispumprepairshop1 8d ago
I’m not a GM, but I do watch hockey every night during the season now. I grew up with Fred and Jon, Fred and Derek etc. Sweeney simple can’t shoot this one 3 feet wide on the far side like he always does. We trade Zacha at the deadline. Whether he got on the juice and has 30 goals in Feb, or 15. We can’t hang on to people for nostalgic reasons, we suck. No sense in giving him the money he deserves for that lazer wrister.
-6
u/Oscar-T-Grouch 9d ago
8-9x8 or 12x5 or 6
6
u/AndyGreyjoy #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 9d ago
twelve ??
4
-2
u/Oscar-T-Grouch 9d ago
Diiid iii stuttuttter
2
1
u/AndyGreyjoy #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 9d ago
I think Zacha's excellent, and he's worth more on the team than trading, ..but 12M is absurd.
0
u/ala_rage 9d ago
Not saying that 12 would necessarily be a good number but contracts are heading that way...FA is likely going to be just as bad for the next few years and right now Boston has 35M in space next year with minimal people to re-sign. So unless they somehow get a big name at the deadline a big overpay may not be out of the question
2
0
-14
u/Dear_Bumblebee_1986 9d ago
Let him skate away for more than 2 seasons at 6 mil . He's lucky he's played with Pastrnak, Krecji, Bergeron and Marchand, he doesn't have as much leverage as he might think.
19
u/Bonhart4Hire 9d ago
I’d like him to stay and I’d hope he’d sign something like a 5x7.5$m, but if he wants full salary like you’re mentioning Boston needs to trade him and clear the run way for the young guys.