There has been plenty to criticize Don Sweeney for over the years, but as we approach this season's trade deadline, one thing he certainly deserves credit for is his recent trades.
There was the deadline deal for Taylor Hall in 2021. Last March, it was Hampus Lindholm. Then the most recent move came over the summer when Sweeney traded Erik Haula for Pavel Zacha.
It wasn't considered a blockbuster like the Hall or Lindholm trades at the time, but Zacha has certainly proven to be quite the coup for the Bruins.
The latest proof came Tuesday night. With the Bruins having lost four of their last five and trailing the Western Conference-leading Stars in the third period, it was Zacha who stepped up and led Boston to a 3-2 overtime victory.
Midway through the third period, Zacha took a nice pass from Brandon Carlo on the rush and snapped a shot over Jake Oettinger's glove to tie the game, once again showcasing a great release he could still stand to use a little more.
Then in overtime, after the Bruins got a big penalty kill, Zacha helped set up David Pastrnak's winner. Zacha spun off a check deep in his own zone, used his speed to pull away in transition, and then dished over to Pastrnak just as he entered the offensive zone. Pastrnak left the puck for Charlie McAvoy, who then gave it back to Pastrnak for the one-time finish.
Zacha now has 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 53 games, surpassing his previous career high of 36. He's just seven points away from matching Haula's output from all of last season. Haula, by the way, has 22 points (4 goals, 18 assists) in 52 games for the Devils this season.
It was easy to see the Bruins' thinking in making the trade. At the very least, Zacha would be a younger, bigger-bodied version of Haula. But the hope was that Zacha would also be more versatile and that, in a new situation, he would be able to tap into more of the offensive potential that made him the sixth overall pick back in 2015.
Haula played well in the second half of last season when he got moved to second-line center between Hall and Pastrnak, but he struggled in any other role and didn't hold up once the playoffs arrived.
Zacha was expected to start the season in the top six with Brad Marchand out and eventually probably settle into a third-line role when everyone was healthy. He did see time on each of the top three lines and at all three forward positions early on, and he played well wherever Jim Montgomery put him.
But Zacha has clearly found a longer-term home on the "Czech Line," playing left wing alongside Pastrnak and David Krejci. Montgomery didn't have those three together to start Tuesday's game, but he did reunite them as the night went on, and it was those three on the ice for Zacha's tying goal in the third. Zacha and Pastrnak were also together for the OT winner.
With that line on the ice at 5-on-5 play, the Bruins have outscored opponents 20-11 this season. Their 4.37 goals per 60 minutes is the best mark among the six Boston line combinations that have played at least 100 minutes together this season.
The results have gotten even better as the season has gone on. In 20 games since Christmas, they've outscored opponents 14-3 and scored 6.46 goals per 60 minutes. It is worth noting that their Corsi and expected goals remain under 50%, but the Bruins aren't going to worry too much about that as long as they keep filling up the scoresheet.
Zacha is tied with Krejci for the team lead in 5-on-5 assists with 21, and he's third in 5-on-5 points with 29, trailing only his two Czech linemates. Far from just a passenger on that line, Zacha has been a key part of its success with his two-way smarts, high-end playmaking, powerful skating and dangerous shot.
His play has allowed the Bruins to keep Taylor Hall on the third line, where he has looked most comfortable this season and where he can create mismatches when he's on his game. If Jake DeBrusk's imminent return can help the Marchand-Bergeron line get going again, then the Bruins will be right back to the kind of offensive depth they've overwhelmed opponents with the majority of the season.
Zacha's play also earned him the four-year, $19 million extension he signed last month, locking him in as part of the team's core for years to come. The timing of that deal is looking like another brilliant stroke by Sweeney, as Zacha's red-hot play since then may have pushed the price a little higher had either side waited. Zacha has 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists) in 11 games since putting ink to paper.
Exactly what Zacha's future in Boston over those next four years looks like remains to be seen. Whether he'll move to center and be part of the plan to eventually replace Bergeron and Krejci is a question for the summer.
In the present, Zacha is playing like a legitimate top-six winger and helping the Bruins win games like he did Tuesday, paying dividends as the front office's most recent trade coup.
