Bruins Extend Pavel Zacha

Bruins Extend Pavel Zacha

The Boston Bruins are the best team in hockey right now sporting a record of 33-5-4. An underrated acquisition Boston made in the offseason was Pavel Zacha. The Bruins sent Erik Haula to New Jersey in a straight up swap with the Devils. The pure standard box score might not totally tell you this but Zacha has been huge for the Bruins.

Zacha has been rewarded for his underrated efforts as the club has agreed to a contract extension with the former sixth overall in 2015. The two parties have agreed to sign a four-year extension that will carry an AAV of $4.75-million cap hit. The Bruins announced the news.

“Zacha, 25, has appeared in 42 games with the Bruins this season, tallying five goals and 20 assists for 25 points with a plus-11 rating.”

What the normal standard box score numbers don’t tell you is that Zacha is a hound defensively. No, he hasn’t lived up to the lofty draft status. However, I’d say it’s hard to say he doesn’t make an impact. You need guys like him to do the dirty work on the glass. He’s been a great compliment on the second line with David Pastrnak and David Krejci. Pastrnak, who also needs a new contract, is having a career year posting 32 goals in 41 games.

Again… it’s the defense. Defense does matter!

Time will tell how this contract ages. Given the age, it doesn’t appear to be a bad one on paper locking Zacha into a contract that carries him throughout all of his years the start in the 20’s. All eyes now go towards a David Pastrnak deal. Why isn’t that done yet? Pasta has expressed a desire a stay sooo