Confirmed with Link: Pavel Zacha Traded to Boston for Erik Haula

[Ladyfan]

Does he have any skills at the defensive end? Is he at least passable? Devils need a two-way player for their third line.

Yes. IMO he played much better the second half. For what he is paid he is decent. I was sad to see him go and fear the Bs made a mistake. He is versatile as he can be on wing or at center. Bs were short a second line center and he was pretty good there for us.

He isn't afraid to stand up to bigger players and is feisty.

I don't know much about Zacha. I hope he fits in well and welcome him to Boston.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Yes. IMO he played much better the second half. For what he is paid he is decent. I was sad to see him go and fear the Bs made a mistake. He is versatile as he can be on wing or at center. Bs were short a second line center and he was pretty good there for us.

He isn't afraid to stand up to bigger players and is feisty.

I don't know much about Zacha. I hope he fits in well and welcome him to Boston.

Zacha is the prototypical "all tools, no toolbox" type of player. He has a great shot, but rarely uses it. He has good size, but is rarely physical. Some games he looks unstoppable and then he goes invisible for a month

MAybe a better structured team will help him out in Boston, who knows. Good luck to him.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

The thing that bothered me most about Zacha was that he skates well and has good hands, but never skates with the puck. It’s why he never worked as a center.

I dunno if that’s something that a system can iron out, or maybe a better coaching staff just has to pull him aside and say “hey dipshit, skate with the puck.” But in all his time here he never became the dangerous puck carrier that he was in juniors.

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

Yes. IMO he played much better the second half. For what he is paid he is decent. I was sad to see him go and fear the Bs made a mistake. He is versatile as he can be on wing or at center. Bs were short a second line center and he was pretty good there for us.

He isn't afraid to stand up to bigger players and is feisty.

I don't know much about Zacha. I hope he fits in well and welcome him to Boston.

Ok, that's encouraging. I read certain posts that Haula was fully a product of his linemates and that he was poor defensively. Fan accounts on this message board vary wildly and are pretty unreliable. I guess we will find out.

My worry is that we run a Johnsson-Haula-Tatar third line out there where they end up with 20-30 points each while being a shitshow in the transition and defensive game.

Post Zajac and Coleman, the Devils have had an awful Bottom 6.

 

[forceten]

I can say Haula was gritty while he was here in Carolina. Was a popular guy while here. After he was traded there was some wife drama on social media, a scruff with Necas and then a Haula goal where he hammed it up, and the fans boo him hard core now. Pretty funny. The kind of guy you want on your team but is frustrating and agitating to play against.

 

[Ladyfan]

Ok, that's encouraging. I read certain posts that Haula was fully a product of his linemates and that he was poor defensively. Fan accounts on this message board vary wildly and are pretty unreliable. I guess we will find out.

My worry is that we run a Johnsson-Haula-Tatar third line out there where they end up with 20-30 points each while being a shitshow in the transition and defensive game.

Post Zajac and Coleman, the Devils have had an awful Bottom 6.

I go to almost all of the home games in Boston (sit right next to the Bs bench). The fans who sit near me liked him. He seemed to get along well with his teammates too. I liked that he wasn't afraid to dig in the corners and stand up to bigger skaters I thought he skated well and won more faceoffs than he lost

Haula was a player that grew on me as the season went on and I wasn't happy he was traded.

 

[My3Sons]

I go to almost all of the home games in Boston (sit right next to the Bs bench). The fans who sit near me liked him. He seemed to get along well with his teammates too. I liked that he wasn't afraid to dig in the corners and stand up to bigger skaters I thought he skated well and won more faceoffs than he lost

Haula was a player that grew on me as the season went on and I wasn't happy he was traded.

he will have a chance to succeed in NJ. They need his spark and veteran effort. Hopefully they give him solid linemates. I'm not sure if he plays on the second line with Mercer and Bratt or on the third line with Hischier and Tatar but that will be Ruff's call.

 

[Comparison Ford]

I can say Haula was gritty while he was here in Carolina. Was a popular guy while here. After he was traded there was some wife drama on social media, a scruff with Necas and then a Haula goal where he hammed it up, and the fans boo him hard core now. Pretty funny. The kind of guy you want on your team but is frustrating and agitating to play against.

is there a video of this goal

 

[glenwo2]

Not exactly Kovalsuck'esque but at least he recovered and scored.

 

[RSeen]

Zacha is the prototypical "all tools, no toolbox" type of player. He has a great shot, but rarely uses it. He has good size, but is rarely physical. Some games he looks unstoppable and then he goes invisible for a month

MAybe a better structured team will help him out in Boston, who knows. Good luck to him.

As far as I am concerned, this is addition by subtraction for us. Bonus that Haula is a decent bottom six player.

 

[Ladyfan]

Not exactly Kovalsuck'esque but at least he recovered and scored.

I was watching the game. It was funny...once he scored. He was teased by his teammates.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I was expecting Zacha to bring back a similar aged reclamation project, but I like Haula and am excited to have him on the team

 

[Oneiro]

Definitely prefer Haula to Debrusk, who kind of seems like another passenger.

 

[Rebuilt Better]

He hasnt played yet for us but I always liked Haula. He could be a great third line center for us for a while. Id like to sign him after this year but not for too long.

 

[Cheddabombs]

You think Bergeron will give his number to Zacha?

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

You think Bergeron will give his number to Zacha?

Out of respect, he should.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

You think Bergeron will give his number to Zacha?

Honestly I can't believe he had the audacity to wear it in the first place.

 

[Maine Fan]

I was napping with Zacha and when we woke up he was with the Boston Bruins. I immediately said hooray. Then I realized we got Haula for Zacha and I immediately said double hooray. Haula played better after Pastrnak was put with him and Hall on the second line around January 22. He improved everyday after that as center of the Bruins 2nd line. As 31 yrs old that isn't normal I hope he plays at the same level or improves with the Devils. At least he will be awake while playing on the ice. He scored and passed well last season with the Bruins. I expect an improvement over Zacha. Zacha was in the right spots to score. Bye Bye Zacha.

 

[Maine Fan]

Boston gets Krejci to come back and play center with the Bruins; his wings will be Zacha and Pastrnak. The Boston Bruins will then have the Czeck line. If they all play well together, they could be the top line in the NHL. With the proper pass setup, Pastrnak is a scoring machine; he had 40 goals, 15 were PP last season, 25 were ES, and 37 assists. He has been around that rate for the past 5 yrs, mostly playing with Bergeron and Marchand. Half of last season was with Hall and Haula. Zacha becomes a winner with the change of scerney. Hopefully Haula continues to produce for the Devils.

 

[ninetyeight]

Haula played better after Pastrnak was put with him and Hall on the second line around January 22. He improved everyday after that as center of the Bruins 2nd line.

That's the concern, according to Boston fans he was terrible in the third line early season, and only started scoring after he was put in a line with Hall and Pastrnak. How much of that was Haula and how much playing with former Hart winner and one of the best goal scorers in the league? What kinda linemates is he gonna get in the Devils thirdline? Tatar and Johnsson....?

 

[Guttersniped]

Out of respect, he should.

The team needs to move on.

 

[My3Sons]

That's the concern, according to Boston fans he was terrible in the third line early season, and only started scoring after he was put in a line with Hall and Pastrnak. How much of that was Haula and how much playing with former Hart winner and one of the best goal scorers in the league? What kinda linemates is he gonna get in the Devils thirdline? Tatar and Johnsson....?

Boquist and Zetterlund

 

[MartyOwns]

I was napping with Zacha and when we woke up he was with the Boston Bruins.

how did zacha take the news?

 

[ninetyeight]

Boquist and Zetterlund

I'd would actually love this, Haula could take the faceoffs and Boq could play center otherwise, or whatever seems to work the best. But let's be honest it's very unlikely he scores 40+ pts with those two, like he did with Hall and Pasta.

The pessimist in me doesn't believe Tatar and Johnsson will be moved though, and if they're here they'll most likely play in the 3rd line

 

[Billdo]

Boston gets Krejci to come back and play center with the Bruins; his wings will be Zacha and Pastrnak. The Boston Bruins will then have the Czeck line. If they all play well together, they could be the top line in the NHL. With the proper pass setup, Pastrnak is a scoring machine; he had 40 goals, 15 were PP last season, 25 were ES, and 37 assists. He has been around that rate for the past 5 yrs, mostly playing with Bergeron and Marchand. Half of last season was with Hall and Haula. Zacha becomes a winner with the change of scerney. Hopefully Haula continues to produce for the Devils.

No line that has Zacha on it will be the top line in the league. I love him, but unless something absolutely magical happens, that ain't it.