The Boston Bruins announced a new seven-year contract extension for Fraser Minten, and it might have opened the door for the Montreal Canadiens to address a major need in their roster.
The reason being that Pavel Zacha is entering the final year of his contract, and considering the Bruins now have Minten and Elias Lindholm under contract long-term, they might be more inclined to trade Zacha if an extension is unlikely. This would be a great addition for the Canadiens but is going to require Kent Hughes to pay up to get a deal done.
He is a veteran center who has already played in over 700 NHL games and is coming off a career season. He recorded 30 goals, the first time in his career, along with 35 assists. He certainly will be a key part for the Bruins but is entering the final year of his contract with an AAV of $4.75 million and likely is looking for a raise on his next contract.
If the Bruins aren't in a position to sign him long-term or at the AAV he wants, then it makes sense for them to explore a trade. However, the Bruins probably will want to trade Zacha anywhere but Montreal as the two teams are division rivals and Boston would not want to make the Canadiens stronger.
That is why Kent Hughes will need to bring forward an offer that will be impossible to say no to. They certainly have the pieces to make such an offer that really wouldn't hurt them in the long run, as they have several top-end prospects along with all their first round picks.
Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins have made only two trades since 2000
If the Montreal Canadiens were able to pull off the trade, it would certainly be a rarity that is not seen often in the NHL. In fact, there have been only two times the Canadiens and Bruins have completed a trade.
The last time was during the 2025 NHL Draft, when the Canadiens and Bruins traded draft picks as the Canadiens moved up to 69th to select Hayden Paupanekis. However, prior to this draft day trade, the last time was all the way back in 2001, when Montreal acquired Patrick Traverse for Eric Weinrich.
For the Canadiens, though, adding Zacha would be a major upgrade and give them another solid two-way center behind Nick Suzuki. A move like this certainly would have a domino effect for Montreal because Zacha is not a one-year solution.
The Canadiens would likely want to sign Zacha long-term, and if they do, it raises the question of what the path to the NHL would be for top prospect Michael Hage. He is not expected to be able to join Montreal until the latter part of the regular season, but expected to be a full-time NHL player next season.
When considering what it might cost and how it might impact Hage, along with the fact that it is a division rival, there may be too many hurdles to get a deal done. However, Kent Hughes owes it to the team to at least pick up the phone to see if there is a possibility of getting a deal done, as Pavel Zacha would elevate this team into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
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