Devils Should Not Count Out a Pavel Zacha Reunion

The New Jersey Devils are looking to have a major bounce-back season in 2026-27. Following a complete overhaul by general manager (GM) Sunny Mehta, the franchise has undergone major improvement by re-signing key players, switching up their goaltending situation, and adding plenty of roster depth. With only 54 days remaining until the season opener, the countdown to Devils hockey is on. Fans are eager to return to Prudential Center and see just how far the club can go this upcoming season.

The Devils have $3.85 million in cap space at their disposal, but their situation can quickly change — especially with trade rumors involving Dawson Mercer and Dougie Hamilton still circulating. In the meantime, they can still add finishing touches to their current group.

Here is my case as to why they should consider reuniting with Pavel Zacha in the near future.

A Full-Circle Move

Zacha was drafted sixth overall by the Devils in 2015, playing parts of seven seasons in New Jersey. Within that time frame, he scored 69 goals and tallied 179 points, transitioning between a top and middle-six center and wing as needed.

Despite the franchise’s high expectations for Zacha, the Devils traded him to the Boston Bruins in July of 2022, receiving Erik Haula in return. The move made sense at the time, acquiring a veteran scorer while restructuring the roster around cornerstone players Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Zacha’s occasional inconsistencies and potential arbitration as a restricted free agent (RFA) also influenced the trade.

However, it wasn’t long before the deal started to seem like a mistake. While Haula’s offensive production slowly declined, Zacha’s skyrocketed, ending with a career-high of 65 points last season. He’s established himself as a dependable two-way player, crossing the 20-goal threshold three times during his tenure with the Bruins, while also making major special teams contributions.

Now, his future in Boston remains uncertain entering the final year of his contract, which carries a cap hit of $4.75 million. According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the organization has been fielding calls for the 29-year-old forward, but their end goal is still an extension (from ‘NHL rumblings: Pavelski on Leafs talks, how Raddysh got done, latest on Thomas, Zacha, Ovechkin, more,’ The Athletic, 6/19/26).

Even though there’s a good chance Zacha will remain on the Bruins’ roster come opening night, the Devils should keep an eye on his contract situation.

Potential Trade Scenarios

Zacha’s asking price is expected to be extremely high — but thanks to Mehta’s penchant for taking calculated risks and acquiring capital, the Devils have more than enough assets to offer in a hypothetical trade with the Bruins. 

For starters, they still have two future conditional first-round picks, after sending Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames. While a high draft selection is a solid start, the Bruins will be on the hunt for a much bigger package for Zacha. In terms of prospects, the Devils have a few players they can shop around, including defenseman Anton Silayev and goaltender Mikhail Yegorov.