Will Pavel Zacha be given a qualifying offer?

[HugeInTheShire]

Since people on the Trade boards and the Main board think the Devils won't qualify Zacha, I thought I'd ask the question.

It's simple, assuming he is still a Devil in the offseason, will they qualify him at 3 million?

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[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

CBA question, would NJ be able to trade him before qualifying him?

 

[Call Me Al]

yeah i think they will qualify him, 20 goals is still worth $3m and the opportunity to trade at the deadline

 

[Guttersniped]

CBA question, would NJ be able to trade him before qualifying him?

Yes.

Players get their qualifying offer after the draft, before free agency. If they sign it then they aren’t a RFA when free agency starts, it becomes a one year deal.

After they get the QO, potential RFAs can talk to other teams, to allow for offer sheets. If they don’t sign the QO by the start of free agency, then they’re RFAs.

Zacha can not sign and file for arbitration but he probably just takes the 3m.

IIRC, you can trade players after the TDL during the season, any added players can’t play in the playoffs for their new teams though.

 

[My3Sons]

Yes.

Players get their qualifying offer after the draft, before free agency. If they sign it then they aren’t a RFA when free agency starts, it becomes a one year deal.

After they get the QO, potential RFAs can talk to other teams, to allow for offer sheets. If they don’t sign the QO by the start of free agency, then they’re RFAs.

Zacha can not sign and file for arbitration but he probably just takes the 3m.

IIRC, you can trade players after the TDL during the season, any added players can’t play in the playoffs for their new teams though.

my guess is he goes to arbitration. What’s the downside? Do you see an arbitrator awarding him $2.5 million? Despite his shortcomings as a player his scoring is ok and “he doesn’t play hard all the time” is a poor argument in that setting even if we can see it over a long period of time an arbitrator almost certainly won’t think much beyond the quick and easy numbers. If he thinks he’s gone next year why not squeeze every possible nickel out of the team even if it’s more laborious or a bit disheartening to the player? On some level if I was his agent I would want him to hear the arbitration. A mercenary client is a good client for a sports agent.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

He’ll be traded before then, in my opinion. He clearly doesn’t fit long-term and there’s interest in him around the league. He’ll be gone by the end of the draft.

 

[Bleedred]

yeah i think they will qualify him, 20 goals is still worth $3m and the opportunity to trade at the deadline

Yeah, he’s definitely worth $3 million for one year going forward. My rationale has always been that he’s not worth a long term deal and definitely not nearly $4 million a year, which I feel like he’ll get at least that much on the UFA market, if he doesn’t bomb miserably next year.

So I see no reason to not qualify him.

 

[Guttersniped]

my guess is he goes to arbitration. What’s the downside? Do you see an arbitrator awarding him $2.5 million? Despite his shortcomings as a player his scoring is ok and “he doesn’t play hard all the time” is a poor argument in that setting even if we can see it over a long period of time an arbitrator almost certainly won’t think much beyond the quick and easy numbers. If he thinks he’s gone next year why not squeeze every possible nickel out of the team even if it’s more laborious or a bit disheartening to the player? On some level if I was his agent I would want him to hear the arbitration. A mercenary client is a good client for a sports agent.

I would have assumed that but his agent said he’s taking the QO. Perhaps he doesn’t want his market price set publicly by an arbitrator.

If Zacha’s agent is saying that now then he’s pushing for a trade. He would presumably also be satisfied with a very sizable contract offer from the Devils of course but that’s not likely to happen.

Arbitration lets older RFAs (or a team) set a hard deadline for negotiations, They file for it July 5th (or whatever the equivalent day is this year) and have a hearing in late July/early August. That still gives teams a reasonable amount of time to negotiate a deal or trade a player.

If Zacha signs the QO at the start of free agency, he not negotiating. I don’t know if that’s his stance for all teams (assuming that’s actually his stance).

 

[TrufleShufle]

Voted "No" just to make sure that option wasn't broken, but yes, I think he will.

 

[Saugus]

I don't understand the argument from the trade board people of why we wouldn't qualify him. Don't you basically always qualify eligible RFAs, if only to retain their rights?

 

[NJDfan86]

I don't understand the argument from the trade board people of why we wouldn't qualify him. Don't you basically always qualify eligible RFAs, if only to retain their rights?

Probably going to extremes to show their belief that Zacha isn't worth anything in their eyes.

 

[Devils731]

Probably going to extremes to show their belief that Zacha isn't worth anything in their eyes.

He’s worthless!

Also, I made up this trade idea where my team takes him as a reclamation project for a cap dump, a late pick, and a 25 year old AHL player who is definitely a quality NHL player, I promise.

 

[Goptor]

His qualifying offer is 1yr $3mil. He's easily worth that and its a no brainer to offer it.

Tatar just 'settled' for $4.5 and he's a lot less useful than Zacha.

 

[Guttersniped]

He’s worthless!

Also, I made up this trade idea where my team takes him as a reclamation project for a cap dump, a late pick, and a 25 year old AHL player who is definitely a quality NHL player, I promise.

If we play our cards right we could get Tucker Poolman AND Alex Chaisson.

Something to shoot for now that a trade has made Severson for Nick Ritchie/Justin Holl/Toronto 1st 2022 an impossibility.