Bruins Deal $19M Forward for Package Involving Top Prospect in Trade Pitch
The Boston Bruins could look to trade Pavel Zacha as his name has come up in trade talks, especially if Boston struggles to begin the year.
Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees the Bruins dealing Zacha to the Winnipeg Jets for a trade package involving a top prospect.
Bruins acquire:
- Brad Lambert
- 2028 second-round pick
Jets acquire:
- Pavel Zacha
- 2026 fourth-round pick (Tampa Bay)
The proposed deal would be a massive trade and one that does make sense for both teams. Boston would get a top prospect and a second-round pick, while Winnipeg gets an impact NHL forward and a mid-round pick.
The Bruins would acquire Lambert, who was selected 30th overall in 2022. He’s entering the second year of his three-year entry-level deal and should crack the Bruins’ roster. Lambert would give Boston a top-level prospect to their lineup and someone they can build around. He recorded 1 assist in 5 games last season, but in the AHL, he had 7 goals and 28 assists for 35 points in 61 games.
In return, the Bruins would give up Zacha, who can fill the Jets’ second-line center role perfectly. Zacha is entering the third year of his four-year, $19 million deal. Zacha would make Winnipeg that much harder to play against. With Kyle Connor in the final year of his deal, the Jets should be more aggressive this season to make a deep run, and Zacha would help that. Zacha recorded 14 goals and 33 assists for 47 points in 82 games.
Bruins’ Zacha Involved in Rumors
If Boston struggles out of the gates, the trade rumors around Zacha will only increase, especially around the trade deadline.
This offseason, Zacha’s name has come up in plenty of trade talks, along with Casey Mittlestadt and goalie Joonas Korpisalo.
“Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha and goalie Joonas Korpisalo have been constants on the NHL trade rumor circuit since the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, but neither player has been traded. Could another Bruins player, though, find himself on a new team before the 2025-26 regular season begins in October?,” NHL insider James Murphy wrote.
However, when Murphy asked Zacha’s agent, Paul Cappizano, about his client being involved in trade rumors, he didn’t share much on it.
“Lots of rumors,” Cappizano said.
Zacha has been with the Bruins since 2022.
Bruins GM Expects Team to be Competitive
Boston was one of the worst teams in the NHL last season, but the Bruins’ general manager, Don Sweeney, expects the team to be more competitive next season.
Boston didn’t do a ton this offseason, but Sweeney expects the team to be much better next season.
“We were going to put together a competitive team to bring in some juice back in here,” Sweeney said. “That applies to elevating our current guys, them feeling reinvigorated coming off of some injuries and a very down year. Just the response to that, having those guys, and realizing just how excited some of these guys are to get here. Maybe it is from the bottom up, but the juice is coming and we expect to be a much more competitive team. The improvements now come from within.”
Boston hasn’t missed the playoffs in back-to-back years since they missed the postseason in 2015 and 2016.
