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Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins.
The Boston Bruins fell out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs race entirely in 2024/25, and with several departures of long-time stars, many believed this team could be in danger of heading towards a complete and total rebuild.
However, to the surprise of many, they bounced back in a huge way, and led by their veteran core, this team made it back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and with a squad that’s a blend of great experience and rising stars, the future is starting to look bright. The Atlantic Division is the toughest in the NHL though, and to succeed again in 2026/27, they’ll need plenty to go right, but now, Pavel Zacha has been named as a major regression candidate for the upcoming campaign.
Pavel Zacha Identified as a Potential Regression Candidate
GettyPavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins.
Last year, like many in Boston, Zacha took a huge leap forward, posting career highs across the board with 30 goals and 65 points through 78 games played, solidifying himself as the Bruins 1C.
However, his position as their top line center was more out of necessity, rather than him earning the role, as Elias Lindholm has struggled immensely since arriving, and beyond that, this is a team with very, very limited upside down the middle. As a result, Zacha has been handed some responsibilities that don’t exactly matchup with his production levels, and now, Daily Faceoff has named him as one of five candidates for a major regression in 2026/27.
While 2025/26 was a career year for the 29-year-old, he has posted 57 and 59 points in three of his past four years, and now, he’s clearly built some chemistry with David Pastrnak, and if that continues, there’s a chance he can be at his best again next season.
Can the Boston Bruins get Back to the Playoffs in 2027?
Overall, the Bruins are a team primed for regression overall, with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators both hoping to improve in the Atlantic, and with other teams gearing up for a post-season run, nothing will come easy in the division or the Eastern Conference next season. Coming into 2025/26, nobody quite knew what the Bruins would be, and with the arrivals of Fraser Minten and James Hagens alongside a team that’s got a low ceiling, but very high floor, the expectations in Boston are to see post-season hockey once more.
On paper, the first-line around Zacha has improved as well, with the team adding JJ Peterka after a down year with the Utah Mammoth to pair Zacha and Pastrnak, and if they can find chemistry alongside Zacha’s role on the first powerplay, the potential is there for him to be just as good in 2026/27. Ultimately though, Zacha’s upside is clearly limited, and if there’s injuries or inconsistent play early on, it’s easy to see why some believe he could take a step back, but if the situation around him stays consistent, don’t be shocked to see Zacha posted 60+ points for a vry good Bruins team once more.
Nathan Smith Nathan Smith is a writer with Heavy Sports covering the NHL and MLB. He brings a decade of experience covering sports in North America for digital platforms such as PFSN, Athlon Sports and FanSided. More about Nathan Smith
