Prospect Info: Pavel Zacha

[Triumph]

The difference is all of those players dominated in Junior. They had a history of offensive dominance and production. Zacha never really did.

Johansen, not really. He played on a much better team than Zacha and put up better but similar numbers in his draft year +1.

Scheifele was at 1.3 PPG in his draft year +1.

Niederreiter was on a much better team than Zacha and put up worse numbers in his draft year +1.

So, no, this isn't quite true, but I admit the numbers aren't there to suggest that Zacha will become a top line player.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

The difference is all of those players dominated in Junior. They had a history of offensive dominance and production. Zacha never really did.

Niederreiter did not dominate juniors. Turris didn't even play major jr's like Zacha or some of them. He did play college, but he didn't exactly dominate in the NCAA. Scheifele and Zacha's numbers are some what close regarding Jr production. Scheifele also didn't have to adjust to moving to a new country with cultural differences or learn new language. Johansen dominated one year in jr's, that isn't a history of dominating. Granlund played juniors in Finland. When he finally got into the Finnish pro league, he didn't dominate, and he had the benefit of playing in his home country and not having to adapt to a new country and it's cultural differences or learn a new language. When he came here to north america he struggled his first few seasons. Draisaitl dominated his second year of juniors, not a history of dominating.
Aside from a few of those players that dominated most of their junior career, not many of them had a history of dominating in juniors, nor were they playing the 200 foot game that Zacha was already playing in juniors.

 

[JimEIV]

A lot of people were concerned with the system he played in Sarnia too. But look at what Konecny did once he got there. That is dominance.

Not trying to take anything away from the kid but he's playing with Voracek who's a top 10 scorer in the league as of today.

 

[MNDevilsfan]

My only issue with Zacha is that I wish he'd shoot more. He's got a pretty good shot but it seems like he's almost always looking to pass first. Really needs to get the SA rate up imo...

But that'll come. He'll be fine. I don't know if he's ever going to be an elite player but he'll be a very good center for the Devils for a long time.

 

[JimEIV]

Johansen, not really. He played on a much better team than Zacha and put up better but similar numbers in his draft year +1.

Scheifele was at 1.3 PPG in his draft year +1.

Niederreiter was on a much better team than Zacha and put up worse numbers in his draft year +1.

So, no, this isn't quite true, but I admit the numbers aren't there to suggest that Zacha will become a top line player.

I remember Chico Resch saying on draft day something to the effect that people might have false expectations if they expect big numbers from Zacha then he said think more of a Holik type player...Some here just dismissed Chico as crazy or just rambling. In hindsight, I wonder?

 

[Blender]

The difference is all of those players dominated in Junior. They had a history of offensive dominance and production. Zacha never really did.

Draft+1 year below:

Pavel Zacha - 1.25 pts/game

Brayden Schenn - 1.68 pts/game

Kyle Turris - NCAA 0.97 pts/game

Mark Scheifele - 1.34 pts/game

Ryan Johansen - 1.46 pts/game

Tyler Seguin - NHL 0.30 pts/game

Nino Niederreiter - 1.27 pts/game

Mikael Granlund - Finland 0.92 pts/game

How would you define dominance and production?

 

[Cheddabombs]

The difference is all of those players dominated in Junior. They had a history of offensive dominance and production. Zacha never really did.

I don't understand are you just coming here to tell us Zacha is ****?

We get enough of that from our own fans don't worry the quota is more than full.

 

[Darkauron]

The whole team is playing like crap. How do people expect him to put up points and play well when no one else really is?

 

[Cult of Hynes]

The whole team is playing like crap. How do people expect him to put up points and play well when no one else really is?

Pretty much why I am not worried about his numbers, especially when he has been juggled around a ****** team.

 

[Blender]

He's been juggled around the lineup so much, that according to this, his most frequent line mates have been Henrique and Palmieri a whopping 2.52% of the season. Don't know how accurate it is, but I believe it with how much he gets moved around game to game and within games. When is the last time he even played with them?

 

[oxman44]

I cant fault Zacha for his lack of production on this team. With how fundamentally poor we are in the rest of the game, NONE of our scoring forwards get many extended periods of quality offensive zone time, let alone PZ. I mean heck, this team is so structurally poor, we can't even get set up and get quality looks with an extra attacker and 9 consecutive tries at it.

Ive seen Zacha to posses a good hockey IQ, be defensively responsible and see the ice very well in all zones. That alone is a big positive for any rookie. I know hes got a nasty wrister and one-timer, saw it plenty in juniors. eventually we'll see plenty more of that. Hes a kid, I think his aggressivness will get better with age and confidence. But shoot, I cant see how anyone would be confident playing on this squad right now

 

[NJDevils#4]

He's not NHL ready at all.

He should have been in Sarnia after 9 games.

This

 

[DerekDevils30]

Him not being sent to the WJC ruined his career. It's all over for him now. A glorified Stephen Gionta.

 

[Hellraiser]

Him not being sent to the WJC ruined his career. It's all over for him now. A glorified Stephen Gionta.

More like Ruutu

 

[MadDevil]

Should've drafted Barzal instead.

 

[SansaStark]

i swear to god i hope zacha becomes like a straight beast in a couple years just to spite all his doubters

i never remember any of our draft picks ever getting this much negative attention
even leaf fans coming to trash the guy after he's basically looked good in both the games he's played against them

 

[MadDevil]

i swear to god i hope zacha becomes like a straight beast in a couple years just to spite all his doubters

i never remember any of our draft picks ever getting this much negative attention

Larsson kind of caught similar flack for not being the impact player we wanted for as high as he got drafted, and for taking a while to figure it out.

Unfortunately for Zacha other players taken after him have had more immediate impacts. Still, it's completely asinine to make judgements of kids drafted in 2015 when we have no idea what they end up being yet.

 

[NJDevils#4]

Larsson kind of caught similar flack for not being the impact player we wanted for as high as he got drafted, and for taking a while to figure it out

Yea, and he still isn't.

 

[Emperoreddy]

There is a difference between NHL ready and putting up Calder numbers.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Larsson kind of caught similar flack for not being the impact player we wanted for as high as he got drafted, and for taking a while to figure it out.

Unfortunately for Zacha other players taken after him have had more immediate impacts. Still, it's completely asinine to make judgements of kids drafted in 2015 when we have no idea what they end up being yet.

They are also in better situations be it with more talented personnel around them and a better coached team.

There is a difference between NHL ready and putting up Calder numbers.

Yup. Big time. Zacha is NHL ready. His first 9 games he showed he was, anyone saying that he should have went back after 9 games is really ignoring how well he was playing. Plus, being in juniors will do nothing for him.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They are also in better situations be it with more talented personnel around them and a better coached team.



Yup. Big time. Zacha is NHL ready. His first 9 games he showed he was, anyone saying that he should have went back after 9 games is really ignoring how well he was playing. Plus, being in juniors will do nothing for him.

Exactly. He plays a sound game and doesn't look lost at all. He can play in the NHL right now.

The next step is just putting his tools together and gaining confidence. That doesn't always happen over night.

 

[SansaStark]

Larsson kind of caught similar flack for not being the impact player we wanted for as high as he got drafted, and for taking a while to figure it out.

Unfortunately for Zacha other players taken after him have had more immediate impacts. Still, it's completely asinine to make judgements of kids drafted in 2015 when we have no idea what they end up being yet.

this is true.
lars looked good until the PK hit and then it took a while
i stand by my statement though, regardless of having an idea of what they end up being.
I hope he turns into a monster so all the haters can bury their heads and eat crow
I'm sure i speak for most of us.

 

[GeNeXt]

The only thing that worries me a little is, where is his mean streak? Constantly he lays off, it seems. I'd like to see a little more aggressiveness from him in pursuit of the puck. I guess it could be the coaching staff holding him back and stressing discipline, and he doesn't want to get in the coach's doghouse by taking bad penalties. Or maybe it will show more as he reaches his comfort level in the NHL, and gets stronger.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Played well tonight and was not rewarded with ice time.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Played well tonight and was not rewarded with ice time.

Pretty much. Was the best C on the ice not named Zajac but pillow soft Henrique and stone hands Kalinin earned the trust of Hynes. Too bad.