While the Boston Bruins’ centennial season did not net a Stanley Cup championship and give the Bruins faithful another duckboat parade, the season was not a complete failure. The organization celebrated 100 years of Bruins hockey with a few trips down memory lane and era nights at the TD Garden.
The Bruins also finished with another 100-point season, good for second in the Atlantic Division. With the season over, we can reflect on how players performed and give them an overall grade. Today’s report card will be for center Pavel Zacha.
Zacha Thriving in Boston
By some accounts, Zacha fell out of favor with the New Jersey Devils. The emergence of Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes bumped him down the depth chart. Heading into a contract year, the Bruins sent center Erik Haula to the Devils for Zacha in the 2021-22 offseason, and both players benefited and helped fill a void on their new team.
During the Bruins’ historic Presidents’ Trophy-winning season (2022-23), Zacha emerged. Before then, he had been a consistent 20-30-point player, and many wondered if he had an extra gear in him. He found that gear and finished the campaign with 21 goals and 57 points, both career highs. Like Charlie Coyle, he needed to step up and fill the shoes of newly departed Bruins greats Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, and he did.
Related: Boston Bruins 2023-24 Season Report Cards: Charlie Coyle
General manager Don Sweeney signed him to a four-year extension during the 2022-23 season, and he earned it. Not only did he help fill the shoes left behind by the two iconic centers, but he exceeded expectations. This season, he matched his career high in goals (21) and set a new career high in points with 59. Given the departures of Tyler Bertuzzi and Taylor Hall, goal-scoring was going to be a challenge. From a team standpoint, the Bruins made out well, as they finished 13th in goals scored (263). From an individual standpoint, Zacha did his part and was a huge reason the team found the success they did.
This season, Zacha also had a 19.88 expected goals metric and finished above his expected rate. He also led the Bruins in faceoff win percentage (54.8%). He took advantage of his increased ice time and continued to develop chemistry with superstar forward David Pastrnak. The two spent all season together, while also he also spent time with Danton Heinen and Brad Marchand. Those two lines combined for 31 goals, which was the best among any combination of lines the Bruins used during the 2023-24 season. However, his regular season success did not translate to the playoffs.
Zacha Had a Disappointing Postseason
Zacha was held in check by the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first-round playoffs series, with two assists. However, his production increased against a much more stifling defense from the Florida Panthers, finishing the postseason with six points in 13 games. In that second-round series, he scored four points. He only scored one goal in the postseason, and the Bruins needed more from their top players to get past the Panthers. They lost the series in six games.
What made him successful during the regular season did not translate to the playoffs, especially the ability to win faceoffs. Pastrnak led all Bruins in faceoff win percentage (54.5%). Zacha finished with a 47.4% success rate in the faceoff dot, well below his output in the regular season. At times, he was moved to the wing position, which saw Morgan Geekie move onto the top line during the postseason run. Overall, Zacha had a tremendous season and there is a lot to like about him.
Zacha Should Be Proud
Zacha went from being the odd man out in New Jersey to finding new life with the Bruins. The trade worked for both parties, and he has become a key part of the team. For the second consecutive season, he reached the 50-point mark and has become the player Sweeney believed he could be when he traded for him. He should still have a top role with the team next season, especially if he continues to improve.
Grade: A-
