Bruins have some tough decisions to make about Pavel Zacha

The second line of Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson has often been Marco Sturm’s most reliable lineup up front — Outscored opponents, 42-22, across 583 minutes of 5-on-5 play during the regular season. ​

Considering his contract — which runs through the 2026-27 season at a reasonable $4.75 million — Zacha stands as a reliable asset on a Bruins team that is in desperate need of some consistency amid this ongoing retooling and an expected influx of young talent.

But on the other side of the coin, Zacha’s value as a consistent top-six center could force the Bruins to make some tough decisions this offseason as they continue to try to remake this roster into a legitimate contending club.

Given Zacha’s familiarity with the Bruins and his value to this current roster, it has seemed likely for years that all parties would be interested in working out a new long-term extension, which the forward would be eligible to sign later this summer.

Speaking during the team’s breakup day in May, Zacha confirmed that there have been no substantive discussions with the Bruins yet.

“There haven’t really been any conversations,” Zacha said. “I’ll leave that to my agent and them this summer, if there’s anything. But so far there’s been nothing. We were on a mission this season to get to the playoffs, and then we go from there. I think we’re focused on the same goal. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but now there’s time this summer, we’ll see what happens.”

As Don Sweeney was quick to point out, all it takes is one phone call to speed up contract talks.

The Bruins may have a lot of affinity for Zacha and his multi-faceted role on this team. But Boston could have several reservations about granting a well-deserved — but expensive — long-term extension to the veteran.

The changing market dynamics across the NHL and the rising salary cap factor into that equation, especially with Zacha continuing to raise his stock as one of the top pivots set to hit free agency next summer.

If 34-year-old Charlie Coyle can sign a six-year, $36 million contract with the Blue Jackets this spring, it wouldn’t be surprising if Zacha’s next long-term deal pays him between $7.5 million and $8.5 million per year — and that amount could rise if he scores 30 or more goals again in the 2026-27 season.

On the face of it, giving Zacha that salary increase is in line well with the new going rate around the league — and it seems like it would be justified for a solid sixth-place player who checks a lot of boxes for this Bruins roster.

Even with that initial shock, the Bruins could justify signing Zacha to said deal if they expect him to be a dependable second-line regular over the next few years — eventually turning into more of a third-line pivot as he ages and younger centers like Fraser Minten, James Hagens, and Dean Letourneau potentially fill featured roles.

Surely this contract only becomes fully palatable if the Bruins don’t already have a 30-something center in Elias Lindholm who currently commands $7.75 million in annual cap space through the 2030-31 season.

As painful as it may be, a Bruins team trying to get younger and faster may have to take a long look at its cap situation and wonder if having two 30-plus centers making at least $16-17 million per year in the long term is the best path forward.

While Lindholm’s contract is the real impediment to that thinking, Zacha’s age (he turns 30 next April) and his quiet performances in the playoffs (two goals in 31 postseason games) may also give Boston some pause in terms of extending a player who – while a solid, dependable forward – may not be a true driver of a rapidly changing core of players.

Beyond the financial component, Zacha also stands as one of the few attractive trade chips at Swinney’s disposal this offseason — one that could be flipped to either acquire valuable draft capital or impact talent that addresses other areas of Boston’s adjustment depth chart.

If the Bruins have serious questions about whether Zacha is a franchise starter, his status as a reliable two-way center could make him a desirable trade target for many clubs looking for a proven pivot on the second or third line.

With the Winnipeg Jets It is reportedly open to hearing offers to Eighth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft In exchange for win-now help, a player like Zacha (sweeteners included) could carry some gravitas to a team looking to make the most of an aging core.

It remains to be seen if Zacha is the type of player that might entice Winnipeg, and the Bruins forward’s no-trade clause could complicate matters.

But, if the Bruins want to push young players like Menten and Hagens into featured midfield roles right away, Zacha could be an asset the Bruins give up for the right running back — especially if it gives Boston a chance to add another top prospect like Daxon Rudolph or Albert Smits to their burgeoning pipeline.

Zacha could also help Boston add immediate help elsewhere on the roster, whether it’s as part of a package deal for a legitimate top-line center or a top-four defenseman — or even in a one-for-one swap for a speedy scoring wing like Philadelphia’s Owen Tippett.

There’s a lot of risk in the Bruins taking on 30-target Zacha and putting more pressure on Minten and Hagens right out of the gate in 2026-27.

In an ideal scenario, Zacha remains in Boston as a positive contributor and complementary piece to a new group of high-impact young men.

But that’s not the scenario the Bruins face at this moment.

If the Bruins are focused on making some bolder moves to shake up their roster — or have some concerns about the pending payouts Zacha has earned for himself — a simple re-signing this summer or next year may not be as sure a bet as initially envisioned.

Connor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.