The Montreal Canadiens’ offseason plans have taken an intriguing twist, as talk of a potential trade target from their fiercest rivals, the Boston Bruins, begins to heat up. While many fans have been dreaming of blockbuster moves for big-name centers, a respected NHL journalist has suggested a more realistic—and perhaps more attainable—option that’s now generating plenty of buzz.

With the Canadiens eager to strengthen their top six and find a reliable presence down the middle, the spotlight has unexpectedly shifted to Pavel Zacha, a versatile forward with a proven track record in Boston. As speculation mounts over what it would take to pry Zacha away from the Bruins, the possibility of a deal between these two historic adversaries is capturing the imagination of hockey fans on both sides of the rivalry.

With Montreal’s management under pressure to make the right moves this summer, all eyes are now on whether this surprising trade rumor could become the next big headline in the NHL.

Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Among Kent Hughes’ top priorities this summer to improve the Canadiens is finding a forward who can play in the top six. Ideally, that would be a center, and many names have circulated in recent weeks.

Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Sam Bennett, Trevor Zegras, and Mason McTavish have been mentioned by many armchair GMs-along with a certain Sidney Crosby.

However, it’s very possible that Montreal’s next acquisition could come a bit out of left field, and a well-known journalist recently tried to temper the sometimes unrealistic expectations of Canadiens fans.

A Trade Between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins Involving Pavel Zacha Brought Up by Arpon Basu

During his appearance on BPM Sports, Arpon Basu of The Athletic stated that Canadiens management should look at the Boston Bruins to inquire about the availability of Pavel Zacha.

“Pavel Zacha wouldn’t cost too much and could be a great option as a second-line center.”
– Arpon Basu, on BPM Sports

With two more years left on his contract at a reasonable $4.75 million per season, the acquisition cost could be quite affordable-potentially not requiring the Canadiens to part with top prospects or either of their two first-round picks in the upcoming draft.

What do you think? Could the Montreal Canadiens pull off a trade with their Boston rivals for center Pavel Zacha?

Zacha, 28, was the 6th overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2015. The 6-foot-3, 206-pound center tallied 47 points in 82 games this season with the Bruins, after recording 59 and 57 points in the two previous seasons.