Boston Bruins · Center · Shoots L

Pavel Zacha

Age 29 · 6'4" · 212 lb · Born in Brno, CZE

Cap hit

$4.75M

4.6% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

M-NTC

Surplus value

—

arrives with the trade tools

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

15:24

PP 1:13 · PK 0:30

xGF%

63.1

5v5, +18.3 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.46

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

10 W · 6 L

Plus/minus

Blocks 0 · Hits 1

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Sep 29 vs NYR · W 3-0	0	3	1	0	15:24	1:13	0:30	10-6	50	0	0	0	-0.46
May 1 vs BUF · L 4-1	1	1	0	0	18:21	0:00	0:22	14-9	83	0	1	-3	+0.25
Apr 28 @ BUF · W 2-1	0	1	1	0	24:19	4:45	0:11	12-11	57	0	0	+1	-0.32
Apr 26 vs BUF · L 6-1	0	1	3	0	14:42	1:20	0:44	11-7	57	0	0	-1	-0.10
Apr 23 vs BUF · L 3-1	0	5	3	1	19:54	5:17	0:35	5-4	100	1	0	-2	-0.69

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 927 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%44.7%

18th percentile

Relative xGF%-3.9

23rd percentile

HDCF%39.5%

10th percentile

CF%48.4%

41st percentile

Relative CF%-0.7

43rd percentile

FF%49.2%

49th percentile

GF%56.3%

80th percentile

CF/6056.3

54th percentile

CA/6060.0

30th percentile

ixG/601.41

83rd percentile

Goals above expected+8.2

95th percentile

IPP68.5%

65th percentile

PDO103.6

90th percentile

OZS%43.5%

24th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleElite playmaking rush threat

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Zacha is a dynamic offensive center who excels at attacking off the rush and generating chances for teammates, though his defensive impact and physicality lag behind his position peers. He plays a high-tempo game focused on speed and puck transition rather than grinding details.

rush specialistplaymakeroffensive threat

Shooting volume: 58
Playmaking: 73
Zone entries(est.): 93
Forechecking: 44
Physicality: 27
Defensive impact: 12
Puck management: 42
Speed: 40

Where he shoots from

Slot 62% · Mid-range 29% · Perimeter 9%(204 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Zone entries in 93rd percentile show elite ability to attack through the neutral zone
Playmaking at 73rd percentile creates consistent secondary scoring opportunities
High slot shot rate of 62% concentrates dangerous chances near goal

Watch-outs

Defensive impact in 12th percentile indicates limited effectiveness stopping opponents
Physicality at 27th percentile means he avoids contact-heavy play
Speed at 40th percentile is solid but not elite for maintaining his aggressive style

Similar style: Trevor Zegras (PHI), Nate Danielson (DET)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 78 GP · goals above average

Season total +7.0 goals, or +0.09 per game.

Even strength offense: -0.6
Even strength defense: -1.1
Power play: +0.5
Penalty kill: -0.3
Finishing: +8.3
Playmaking: +0.8
Penalties: -1.3
Faceoffs: +0.7

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	SOG	TOI/GP	FO%	GS/GP
2026-27	BOS	1	0	0	0	0	3	15:24	—	-0.46
2025-26	BOS	78	30	35	65	+4	131	16:51	53.3%	+0.09
2024-25	BOS	82	14	33	47	-8	132	19:04	53.2%	-0.06
2023-24	BOS	78	21	38	59	+12	148	18:06	54.8%	+0.04
2022-23	BOS	82	21	36	57	+26	131	16:03	45.3%	+0.08

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 21.0 mph; 63rd pct
20+ mph bursts: 2
Hardest shot: 90.8 mph; 98th pct
Distance: 2.5 mi
OZ time: 42.0%; 53rd pct
DZ time: 39.7%