Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Tomas Nosek (1 year, $1 million)
- Thread starter Zajacs Bowl Cut
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dinosaur33
Registered User
- Jul 5, 2009
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For sure. I can't remember where but Elias even mentioned it once in an interview. Something along the lines of Zacha's dad was super hard on him and he had a rough childhood. I remember already knowing about it but being shocked that Patty mentioned it so casually in an interview like they had clearly talked about it a bunch and that's why he never really felt comfortable playing.
We were at a restaurant and the server asked where we were from, we said the U.S., and he asked if we liked hockey and we said we did and were Devils fans. He said oh, Pavel Zacha! I said yes. He then told us how it's a little sad - his father had dreams of being a hockey star but I guess it didn't work out, so he just pushed and pushed his kid to the point where they all wondered if Pavel even enjoyed it. They said it was well known in Czech hockey circles how overbearing and omnipresent Pavel's dad was. Kind of sad really, but he was excited to talk about hockey!
Whaddagoal
Junktime season...
I see, the classic living through their child case/overbearing...
Thanks for that tidbit...
I always suspected as much. I know a few dads like that. It’s destructive.
Zacha’s problem is he shouldn’t have been the 6th overall pick. He didn’t have the numbers in junior to justify it.
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Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
Yea, the current regime almost certainly would have drafted Rantanen or Meier.
- May 8, 2010
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Look up the 2015 draft threads. I was for Barzal all along. I even went back several years later and liked all of the posts that called to draft Barzal.
Thanks again Conte.
Wierzbowski426
Registered User
Zacha was not a reach at all. Look at the pre-draft rankings.
Obviously he was not the correct pick, but it wasn't a reach. He was thought to have a really impressive combination of size/speed/skill.
Obviously he was not the correct pick, but it wasn't a reach. He was thought to have a really impressive combination of size/speed/skill.
Devils731
Registered User
- Jun 23, 2008
- 12,349
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Zacha was a reach if you are some sort of nerd that looks at a spreadsheet and thinks juniors production is a good but imperfect indicator of likely professional production.
Hockey men knew better because they used their eyes.
Classic Devil
Spirit of 1988
A lot of our board wanted Barzal, as I recall.
I was rabidly pro barzal and am still mad about that. Also pro Marner but we never had a shot there ofc.
Not gonna pretend I would have taken rantanen or anything but I definitely wouldn’t have taken zacha.
Not gonna pretend I would have taken rantanen or anything but I definitely wouldn’t have taken zacha.
Saugus
Ecrasez l'infame!
If not that, he may instead end up on LTIR because of his wonky hips. If so, I expect his contract will eventually be buried in the desert via a trade with the Coyotes.
PizzaAndPucks
New Jersey Angels diehard
- Nov 29, 2018
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Barzal would have been a great pick but he is a frustrating player. He's actually my favorite player in the league and one of the most entertaining player to watch behind McDavid IMO. He has some crazy edges , hands and even a great shot but he just doesn't throw up big numbers. I thought firing Trotz was a dumb move by Lou but many thlight Barzal's numbers would go up in a new system. It did not really happen too much this year.
If we're calling out our old takes with minimal chance of being proven incorrect, I vividly remember wanting to trade back where we would still be in a position to take Rantanen. Obviously that doesn't happen much in the NHL, but that would have been sweet.
That “motivation” has given us tremendous athletes across all sports, but at what cost? You do wonder about the mental trauma it can cause…
Todd Mahrinovich was the first one that comes to mind. Robo QB. There was a Sports Illustrated article about how he did nothing but practice after school and his family had specific control over his diet. It was pretty harsh in retrospect. It worked and he made thr NFL but his public actions suggest he was unhappy. It’s complicated and I understand wanting to encourage your kids to achieve things but when it fails it creates problems for the athlete who may or may not have otherwise achieved professional sports status.
There’s a difference between nurturing drive in your kids and mandating it, especially in a specific direction.
I guess it becomes well, beats a regular job, so I’ll go through the motions. I just hope (any athlete really) they save their money and spend it wisely. No need to make things even worse…
My point wasn’t about draft ranking, but actual production. Zacha’s junior numbers were underwhelming, below a point per game in his draft year and then slightly above he D+1 year (obviously the latter was unknown at the time). He had (and still has) the physical tools scouts love, but the numbers should have raised a red flag about finishing skills. And guess what Zacha’s problem has been in the NHL…finishing. By constraint Barzal was well above a ppg his draft year.
I agree with Jason that the current regime likely wouldn’t have taken him. Players with similar statistical profile taken that high tend to underperform their draft position.
Oneiro
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- Mar 28, 2013
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He also had concussion issues and stopped playing with a mean streak well before his time in Sarnia ended. And frankly none of his tools were that good unlike a prospect like Luke, Fowler, etc.
I just hated the pick so much and hated being right about the guy over the course of six years. I’m always happy to eat crow whether it’s Nico, Luke over Clarke, Tkachuk being that good, Clarkson getting better/luckier, I hope Holtz is very good, etc. But Zacha is one of my least favorite NJ players ever. Meekness and arrogance in the same package really pisses me off.
I just hated the pick so much and hated being right about the guy over the course of six years. I’m always happy to eat crow whether it’s Nico, Luke over Clarke, Tkachuk being that good, Clarkson getting better/luckier, I hope Holtz is very good, etc. But Zacha is one of my least favorite NJ players ever. Meekness and arrogance in the same package really pisses me off.
