Proposal: NJD/EDM

[HBK27]

I don't see Zacha doing it because I see his opportunity in New Jersey diminishing. He could earn some looks on a scoring wing, but there are players on New Jersey's roster who've 'shown more'.

I see what you see in Pavel Zacha. A responsible two way center who can be relied upon to penalty kill and has the ability to chip in offensively now and again. Martin Hanzal essentially. If he regresses next season, you've got Ryan Strome on your hands.

So which is it - lack of skill or lack of opportunity for Zacha?

If he continues to play the way he did down the stretch this past season, he'll get his minutes.

 

[belair]

So which is it - lack of skill or lack of opportunity for Zacha?

If he continues to play the way he did down the stretch this past season, he'll get his minutes.

This stretch that you're putting a ton of emphasis on. What position was he playing for the majority of it? He was getting significantly more ice time than he's averaged in years prior. Add Jack Hughes and a significant UFA and I don't see that happening again.

I think a big part of why I don't see his offense thriving in New Jersey has to do with the opportunity he's likely to see moving forward. But I also don't see a 60 point center waiting to break out here either. So to answer your question, both.

If Devils fans see this player as the guy who's 'sheltering' Jack Hughes from tougher assignments, I see his offense being stifled. But I also see why the Devils value him as a part of their roster.

 

[HBK27]

This stretch that you're putting a ton of emphasis on. What position was he playing for the majority of it? He was getting significantly more ice time than he's averaged in years prior. Add Jack Hughes and a significant UFA and I don't see that happening again.

I think a big part of why I don't see his offense thriving in New Jersey has to do with the opportunity he's likely to see moving forward. But I also don't see a 60 point center waiting to break out here either. So to answer your question, both.

If Devils fans see this player as the guy who's 'sheltering' Jack Hughes from tougher assignments, I see his offense being stifled. But I also see why the Devils value him as a part of their roster.

He's always played center in the NHL. His ice time went up somewhat, but an extra minute or two is not that significant of an increase and certainly not enough to justify it driving his increased offensive production. Especially when you consider he was usually not playing with very good linemates.

I get what you're saying that he certainly had more of an opportunity to get top 6 ice time the past season or two than he may going forward, but his continued progression should more than offset that.

Zajac and Nico are also very good defensively, so it would not just fall on Zacha to shelter Hughes from tough assignments. It'll be interesting to see what the Devils do with the lineup next season - would they really consider having Zacha or Zajac as a 4th line center when all 4 are healthy or does one of them get shifted to wing when that's the case? Many NJ fans assume that Zacha takes over for Zajac eventually as a 3rd line shutdown center, but I think Zajac still has a few more good years in him.

60 points is aggressive, but I certainly think he could be a 40-50 point player in the next year or two.

 

[belair]

He's always played center in the NHL. His ice time went up somewhat, but an extra minute or two is not that significant of an increase and certainly not enough to justify it driving his increased offensive production. Especially when you consider he was usually not playing with very good linemates.

I get what you're saying that he certainly had more of an opportunity to get top 6 ice time the past season or two than he may going forward, but his continued progression should more than offset that.

Zajac and Nico are also very good defensively, so it would not just fall on Zacha to shelter Hughes from tough assignments. It'll be interesting to see what the Devils do with the lineup next season - would they really consider having Zacha or Zajac as a 4th line center when all 4 are healthy or does one of them get shifted to wing when that's the case? Many NJ fans assume that Zacha takes over for Zajac eventually as a 3rd line shutdown center, but I think Zajac still has a few more good years in him.

60 points is aggressive, but I certainly think he could be a 40-50 point player in the next year or two.

We're on the same wavelength here, but I think those numbers are a tad optimistic when you consider that New Jersey's leading scorer scored 50 points this past season. If Zacha is in fact locked into a bottom six role with secondary opportunities on the PP next season, it'll be tough for him to continue to produce at that pace. And if he's in a scoring role, he's probably moved to the wing where he hasn't shown much offensively in the past.

Looking to next season a healthy lineup has Hall, Hischier, Hughes and Palmieri clearly higher in the food chain. In all likelihood a scoring line right winger gets added.

To battle for that last spot in the top six there's Jesper Bratt and Blake Coleman who've both shown better offensively at this point. Travis Zajac is still a significantly more productive player. Miles Wood has spurts as well. I like Zacha's game, which is why I would make the trade one-for-one at this point, but he's in tough to earn his minutes next season.

 

[Oneiro]

If the Devils are going to trade an asset they've already spent years investing in and developing right at the moment he seems to have turned a corner, it's going to be for a sure thing (in a package most likely). Not another project.