Pavel Zacha

[Absolut]

We've been making fun of NJ Devils for years now for picking Zacha with the 6 OA pick in 2015. But the kids is starting to look good. I think it's about time we give him some props. He's finally looking like a legit 1st round pick.

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[BruinLVGA]

Better late than ever.

 

[StoneHands]

If you want to be taken seriously, you might want to add some context as to why you think a guy with no goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, and a 36% FO% through 4 games has turned a corner and is looking like a legit 1st round pick. Are you basing this praise off of a 4 game CORSI sample? Most people are basing their criticism off of 200 games of sub par play. I don't know any top 10 pick that we look back on fondly and say, "you know, he only put up 25-30 points a year but his line sure fired a lot of pucks wide, into shin pads, and into the crest of every goalie in the league. A for effort!"

 

[Blender]

If you want to be taken seriously, you might want to add some context as to why you think a guy with no goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, and a 36% FO% through 4 games has turned a corner and is looking like a legit 1st round pick. Are you basing this praise on the fact that more pucks are fired towards the opponents net than his own despite the fact that more have gone into his net? I don't know any top 10 pick that we look back on fondly and say, "you know, he only put up 25-30 points a year but his line sure fired a lot of pucks wide, into shin pads, and into the crest of every goalie in the league. A for effort!"

I assume because he had a 3 point game today and now has 4 points in 5 games. It's still ridiculously premature, but he has carried his solid play from the end of last season over to this season at least.

 

[Absolut]

If you want to be taken seriously, you might want to add some context as to why you think a guy with no goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, and a 36% FO% through 4 games has turned a corner and is looking like a legit 1st round pick. Are you basing this praise on the fact that more pucks are fired towards the opponents net than his own despite the fact that more have gone into his net? I don't know any top 10 pick that we look back on fondly and say, "you know, he only put up 25-30 points a year but his line sure fired a lot of pucks wide, into shin pads, and into the crest of every goalie in the league. A for effort!"

Not every first round pick becomes a star. In Zacha's case, it's a success that he's becoming a useful player for the Devils. For a while, it looked like he wouldn't make it in the NHL. The kid has been bashed so much on these boards, I think it's ok to acknowledge he's improving. Are the Devils sitting there and thinking how awesome of a pick he was? Of course not. Hindsight is 20 / 20. But Zacha looked better late last year and he's been pretty solid so far this season. So yeah, it's better than nothing.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

If you want to be taken seriously, you might want to add some context as to why you think a guy with no goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, and a 36% FO% through 4 games has turned a corner and is looking like a legit 1st round pick. Are you basing this praise off of a 4 game CORSI sample?

Perhaps it's because he has 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games played while showing solid physicality and great D.

 

[ninetyeight]

If you want to be taken seriously, you might want to add some context as to why you think a guy with no goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, and a 36% FO% through 4 games has turned a corner and is looking like a legit 1st round pick. Are you basing this praise off of a 4 game CORSI sample? Most people are basing their criticism off of 200 games of sub par play. I don't know any top 10 pick that we look back on fondly and say, "you know, he only put up 25-30 points a year but his line sure fired a lot of pucks wide, into shin pads, and into the crest of every goalie in the league. A for effort!"

He had a three point game today, it’s easier to assess players when you watch the games and don’t just read stats from eliteprospects.com. The coach hates him but he is perhaps the best devil out there, which isn’t much since the team seems to be the worst hockey team in the history of the sport...

 

[Absolut]

He had a three point game today, it’s easier to assess players when you watch the games and don’t just read stats from eliteprospects.com. The coach hates him but he is perhaps the best devil out there, which isn’t much since the team seems to be the worst hockey team in the history of the sport...

From what I've seen, he's been more physical and a lot more confident with the puck. I dunno, I see improvement.

 

[typicalsavage]

I remember back when he was putting up subpar numbers in the OHL, Devils fans try to say his game was meant for the NHL not OHL. Guess his game just isnt suited for any hockey league lmao.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Liked Zacha when he was a prospect. Unfortunately he's had his struggles at the beginning. But he's seemed to be improving as of late. And the last couple of times the Panthers have played the Devils, he's been a big pain in the but. I like how his game is coming along.

 

[Oneiro]

Not the best pick at that spot - no reasonable Devils fans would disagree with that. There's no defending taking Zacha at 6.

But the idea that he wasn't an NHL caliber talent has been wrong from day one. Good defensively, good puck skills, underrated shot. Just inconsistent and unassertive. He's slowly putting it together but he always was at the very least a decent bottom six player.

 

[Tripod]

Why was he scratched earlier this year?

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

I haven't even heard about this guy before. That's impressive for him to get this many points, congrats!

 

[EliasFTW]

Why was he scratched earlier this year?

John Hynes

 

[KevinRedkey]

With Provorov, Rantanen, and Barzal on the board... Zacha was a bad pick. Hindsight only confirmed it.

 

[Whaddagoal]

3 ( 1 goal, 2 primary assists) points tonight for Zacha. Best player on ice for NJ today, says this Zacha fan.

Was on first line with Hall.

 

[Man of Principles]

Perhaps it's because he has 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games played while showing solid physicality and great D.

Yeah. He's been a 1st round caliber player by being a great defensive forward. He can definitely still blossom offensively.

 

[ijuka]

If you want to be taken seriously, you might want to add some context as to why you think a guy with no goals, 1 assist, 4 shots, and a 36% FO% through 4 games has turned a corner and is looking like a legit 1st round pick. Are you basing this praise off of a 4 game CORSI sample? Most people are basing their criticism off of 200 games of sub par play. I don't know any top 10 pick that we look back on fondly and say, "you know, he only put up 25-30 points a year but his line sure fired a lot of pucks wide, into shin pads, and into the crest of every goalie in the league. A for effort!"

It's stupid because corsi as a stat requires at least a season's sample size if not more in order to properly be predictive. People are misusing it so much nowadays.

 

[CaptainZetterberg40]

It's been good to hear that he's played well so far. One point of focus I'm hoping the Devils staff can bring out of him is his ability to shoot the puck. If he can somehow tap into that potential it would be great. Last year he had a few decent snipes. I know junior skills sometimes never translate into the nhl, but I think it's still too early to give up on developing that skill set.

 

[hoyster]

That stint in KHL really did wonders to him.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

It's stupid because corsi as a stat requires at least a season's sample size if not more in order to properly be predictive. People are misusing it so much nowadays.

No it does not.

 

[StoneHands]

Perhaps it's because he has 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games played while showing solid physicality and great D.

He had a three point game today, it’s easier to assess players when you watch the games and don’t just read stats from eliteprospects.com. The coach hates him but he is perhaps the best devil out there, which isn’t much since the team seems to be the worst hockey team in the history of the sport...

Not every first round pick becomes a star. In Zacha's case, it's a success that he's becoming a useful player for the Devils. For a while, it looked like he wouldn't make it in the NHL. The kid has been bashed so much on these boards, I think it's ok to acknowledge he's improving. Are the Devils sitting there and thinking how awesome of a pick he was? Of course not. Hindsight is 20 / 20. But Zacha looked better late last year and he's been pretty solid so far this season. So yeah, it's better than nothing.

I actually think Zacha is a useful 3rd line center. I said here a few weeks back when it looked like he wouldn't be in the NHL this season that as a Flyers fan I was happy about it because I can see him being a solid shutdown 3C. I just thought it was a little funny to have someone start a thread trying to make it sound like he's proven all the doubters wrong and deserving of being a top 10 pick because he had a good game.

 

[JT Kreider]

I was at the game tonight and I thought he was the best player on the ice for either side, especially defensively. Made some big time plays down low and facilitated offense the other way.

Very very impressed.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Cool
Not every high pick turns into a star

 

[tucker3434]

If the ‘15 draft wasn’t so incredible, it wouldn’t be a bad pick. But it was, and it was.