Canadiens Linked to ‘Realistic’ Trade for $19 Million Star
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 23: Pavel Zacha #18 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Getty
The Montreal Canadiens are once again being linked with Boston Bruins star center Pavel Zacha. The forward was previously named as a “great fit” for Montreal earlier this summer. Not only do the Canadiens need a true second-line center, but general manager Kent Hughes actually used to be Zacha’s agent. Despite the links, a deal between the two teams has not yet occurred.
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Things, however, could soon begin to ramp up. Boston is now being linked to Chris Kreider once he departs the Anaheim Ducks in the coming days. If the Bruins make this move, they would have an extra top-six forward on their roster. Zacha may very well be the odd man out because of his contract situation. The veteran will be an unrestricted free agent in 2027 once his four-year, $19 million contract expires.
Respected NHL journalist Marco D’Amico is claiming that acquiring Zacha would make sense for the Montreal Canadiens. According to the reporter, Boston’s financial situation could force them to trade the forward. The Bruins recently rewarded fellow center Fraser Minten with a $7.2 million AAV long-term deal. As a result, they may not be able to give Zacha a suitable extension.
Montreal, on the other hand, would likely love to add the veteran center to their lineup. Zacha is coming off of a career year in which he recorded 30 goals and 35 assists (65 points). For reference, the Canadiens only had three forwards reach this tally this past season. The center is also capable in faceoffs, with a 53% win rate during the 2025-26 campaign.
Montreal Canadiens Have Assets to Make a Strong Pavel Zacha Offer
GettyPavel Zacha has averaged 57 points per year over his last four NHL seasons.
Some will question whether or not the Bruins would want to make a trade with the Montreal Canadiens. Historically speaking, the two teams have not exactly struck a ton of deals together. Despite this, D’Amico claims Boston would likely want the best value in return for Zacha. If true, this is music to Kent Hughes’ ears.
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The Canadiens have several high-quality trade assets at the moment. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman recently ranked Montreal’s prospect pool as the third-best in the NHL. Hughes also has multiple players on his NHL roster who could be used in a significant trade. As a result, there are not too many teams who could give the Bruins a better offer than the Canadiens.
There are also concerns over Zacha’s stats being inflated in Boston due to playing with superstar David Pastrnak. D’Amico, however, noted that Ivan Demidov is projected to be nearly as good as the Czech forward. If the Montreal Canadiens land Zacha, he would be deployed alongside the Russian budding star.
Montreal Can Afford to Give Star Forward a Raise
Not only do the Montreal Canadiens have the necessary pieces to make a move, but they also have ample funds. According to PuckPedia.com, Hughes has nearly $10 million in projected cap space. Although Montreal still has to figure out what to do with RFAs Zach Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj, the club should be able to afford Zacha’s $4.75 million salary this season.
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D’Amico has even hinted that the Canadiens could look to give the Bruins center a long-term deal in the neighborhood of $8 million AAV. While Boston may not be able to afford this, Montreal can. Hughes and Co. will have even more money to work with next summer. The Canadiens are in a solid spot financially, mostly because their top players have essentially taken pay cuts to stay in Montreal.
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