For the first time in recent memory, the Bruins have made the call to sell at the trade deadline in earnest. After trading pending UFA forward Trent Frederic to the Oilers earlier today and following previous reports that defenseman Brandon Carlo and forward Morgan Geekie are available for the right price, they’re now open to hearing offers for centers Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Their availability adds some depth to a relatively thin center market ahead of Friday’s deadline, although neither are rental pickups. Coyle is signed through 2026-27 at a $5.25MM cap hit and carries a full no-movement clause for the duration of his deal, per PuckPedia, so the Bruins’ options for moving him will be extremely limited. Meanwhile, Zacha is under contract through 2027-28 with a $4.75MM cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade list until July 1.
Neither has had a season to write home about, especially Coyle. Fresh off his 33rd birthday, the hometown kid has churned out just 14-7–21 through 62 games after recording a career-high 25 goals and 60 points last season. It’s not for a lack of usage – he’s averaging 17:39 per game, the second-highest mark of his career behind last year. He’s shooting at a strong 15.6% but not generating nearly as many chances. His 1.45 shots on goal per game mark the second-lowest rate of his 13-year run in the NHL, ahead of only his rookie season with the Wild 12 years ago. He’s also tracking to post a career-worst -13 rating.
That doesn’t paint a rosy picture in terms of the likelihood of a trade. He only has a three-team no-trade list if he waives his no-movement clause, but whether or not he’d even waive his NMC to depart his home city is uncertain, even as Boston enters sell-off mode. His $5.25MM cap hit is also immovable given his performance this season without retention, and it’s unlikely Boston would be willing to do so for a contract that runs past this season as they look to reload for 2025-26.
The 27-year-old Zacha is thus a far more intriguing candidate. His offensive totals have dropped too, but not as much. He’s still third on the team in scoring with 12-25–37 in 62 games, all while averaging 19:23 per game and serving as the Bs’ de facto No. 1 center for the second year in a row. He’s averaged 0.69 points per game in a Bruins uniform since they acquired him from the Devils in 2022 and wouldn’t command any retention to move. Limited trade protection also increases his market, and at his cap hit, he’s a better value proposition – especially with two years left on his deal – than most other centers out there.
The 6’3″ Zacha is also a full-time pivot with good faceoff numbers, more than what can be said about names like Ryan Donato or Scott Laughton. After spending most of his career below 50%, he’s won 54.2% of his draws since the beginning of 2023-24.
Moving either would represent a more aggressive retooling than most would have expected out of the Bruins. Still, their names floating into rumors at least signal an openness to moving out some of their lower-ceiling offensive talents in hopes of landing a top-six impact piece (or multiple) this summer.
Sweeney and Neely are doing a masterful job of running a franchise into the ground.
How so?
seeing that they got anything for Frederick, they should go ahead and dangle Marchand, as well, and see what they can get for him and take it.
Marchand Injury is unfortunate for them
Coyle does not have a full-no movement clause. He has an 8-team no-trade list. Zacha & Carlo have 10-team no-treade lists.
This is incorrect. Coyle has an NMC through 2025-26 with a three-team no-trade list, per PuckPedia. Zacha has a 10-team no-trade this season that drops to an eight-team no-trade for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
CapWages has the same information as well. Carlo has a 10-team NTC this year, 8-team next year, 3-team in 2026-27.
It’s an eight-team no-trade list behind the NMC for Coyle through July 1, though.
Why do you need a no-trade list if you have a NMC? Makes zero sense. I was in Boston last week & the local media was saying he only had an 8-team no-trade list. Something doesn’t add up
Then do your own research
@ericl – it’s actually quite common for players with NMCs to have an additional M-NTC. It allows them an added layer of protection if they decide to waive their NMC. It still restricts where they can end up in that event.
NMC means you can’t be placed on waivers. You can go look at what happened to Barcley Goodrow and the Rangers last summer. He had a limited no trade clause but not a NMC and the Rangers had a trade worked out with San Jose for something like a 5th or 6th round pick because they just wanted to clear cap space. Goodrow said no to the trade so the the Rangers put him on waivers. Since San Jose had the number 1 waiver claim. Goodrow wound up in San Jose anyway.
Correct or not correct players can and will move if they are going to a team that has a great chance of winning the cup. That would be a no brainer.
Eh, they got a second and a fourth for Frederic, which I wouldn’t have imagined they could get for Frederic having a poor season AND being a pure rental. This is truly a sellers’ market, and while in an ideal world they keep Zacha — who’s certainly young enough to be around on the back end of a rebuild — someone will hand them a first rounder-plus.
There will be a market for all 4 players particularly Carlo and Zacha who will definitely draw much interest in the marketplace. Not all 4 will get dealt but I wouldn’t be surprised if 1 or 2 of those 4 players are on a new team by Friday’s deadline.
A team undone by their lack of center depth wants to move all of their centers.
Do they have a plan to replace them?
Are they going to keep the core pieces but hollow out the middle of the roster and sabotage the core pieces?
Or are they going to move the core pieces, too?
It’s not just the lack of center depth that has hurt the Bruins. Their wing depth isn’t good either and they have no scoring outside Pastrnak. Swayman also hasn’t had a good season and losing Hampus Lindholm was a crushing blow that forced defensemen to play bigger roles than should have had to play.
I know it’s easier said than done, but…I think they should do the opposite.
IF they can find a better 1C than Lindholm and push everyone down the depth chart and then move Zacha to wing, they solve a bunch of their problems and still have a solid D and good young G.
Not many teams have extra 1C’s they don’t need laying around, so, they’ll have to pony up big time, which for them means a pair of firsts, at least.
But, if not, then they should sell it all.
They would need to acquire more firsts to pull that off. Part of the Bruins struggles is due to the fact they have traded so many high draft picks in recent years. They haven’t been able to develop from within because their lack of those high picks. So when Bergeron & Krejci retired, there was nobody in house to take over.
Hmm…I wonder if they can clear enough space for Sam Bennett.
Hardly ideal as a 1C, but he would be their best center, plays right and (if he reaches UFA) could be added for just cap space.
Detroit for Zacha?
I will join you in willing that on to happen! … although I doubt Boston deals a player with term remaining within the Atlantic.
It seems to be more popular than common sense leads one to think.
Coyle would be more affordable. But the Wings are in a big need for a C and a RD
I have no faith in the Bruins front office. They’ll probably whiff on all these picks.
3 way deal: Zacha to NJ for Palat & then Palat to NJ for Coyle.
FTW, I’ll tell you what. If they were able to pull that transaction off, I would have to rethink everything I thought I knew about life on planet earth.