For a good part of this offseason, Boston Bruins forwards Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittlestadt have been in trade rumors. You have to think that if their names keep popping up, then there might be some smoke to it.
Zacha has been good since being acquired from the New Jersey Devils in the summer of 2022, and MIttlestadt came over from the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Charlie Coyle to the Western Conference powerhouse. Now, it seems that he is joining Zacha in trade rumors. However, one NHL analyst suggested that a division rival could try and pluck one of them from the Black and Gold.
NHL analyst tabs Burins’ center Pavel Zacha & Casey Mittlestadt as trade targets for the Montreal Canadiens
Travis Yost of TSN joined The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, and trade targets for the Montreal Canadiens were discussed in relation to the Bruins. Yes, that’s right, the Bruins and Canadiens are potentially working out a deal that would help Montreal? Yost singled out Zacha, and Marinaro added Mittlestadt’s name.
“Pavel Zacha would be a very interesting name,” Yost said. “They’ve got him and Lindholm down the middle right now. They sure do (have Mittlestadt). I think there is a bit of redundancy there. I think no doubt about it, they miss the playoffs this year.”
Yost went on to mention Coyle, who was traded from the Avalanche to the Columbus Blue Jackets, is another name that the Canadiens could target at some point this year. Now, if Montreal were going to pry either Zacha or Mittelstadt away from Don Sweeney, the return for the Black and Gold should be a good one. Both players are under contract for another year beyond 2025-26, with Zacha carrying a $4.75 million cap hit and Mittlestadt a $5.75 million cap hit.
It would be surprising if Sweeney deals either player to another heated division rival, but his history of trading within the division in the last year has been eye-opening, from sending Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, and defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It remains to be seen what happens if anything, but it would be surprising to see a deal done until around the trade deadline. If Boston is out of it, then just maybe Sweeney wheels and deals within the division again, but with the Canadiens? It’s not too far-fetched given his recent history.