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Prospect Info: 6th Overall Pick: Pavel Zacha

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I'd put him in the line-up opening night, and go from there. Give him 3 games or so, and evaluate his performance. If it's not where you want it to be, let him hang around the locker room for a week or two as a healthy scratch. Practicing and traveling with the team, and taking in some games from above.

Then, give him another 3 games, and repeat the process. You should know by about mid-November if he's ready or not. If not, send him back, and he'll still get more than 2/3rds of a season in the OHL, plus an appearance at the WJC.
 
Know who Zacha reminds me of? A bigger Tuomo Ruutu. I mean as a prospect with Chicago, not the washed-up version we have now. Fast, skilled, mean, but with some question marks about putting it all together.
 
Zacha oozes dynamic playstyle. Off the bat there is really nobody that can compete with him there. Maybe Cammalleri.
 
The guy is clearly physically ready, he's 6'3" and 210lbs, but skates exceptionally well for an 18 year old of that size. I don't see any reason why he can't play in the NHL next season, but we don't want to rush him if he comes in and it looks like he isn't ready.
 
Marshal Rochambeau said:
I think he is as ready as any of the top 7 picks, more ready than Marner, and possibly even with Strome.
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I feel like he is in the same boat as Matteau.

Size-wise, he could make an impact. However, I feel like if he plays on the NHL team next year he's not going to make the type of impact he could potentially make if he joins the team in a year or two. Every player is different, he could easily develop his game while playing in the NHL. However, some players need some development time against similar opponents -- i.e. sending him back to Sarnia. Just look at the difference between Matteau at the end of last year versus the Matteau in 2012-13. He looked like a completely different player.

Zacha should get a chance. Unless he blows everyone away, he should return to juniors and develop. Give him a taste for what it should take to be an impact player in this league and what he has to work on.
 
After watching a lot of his play in Sarnia, I seriously don't think he'll be ready. From a hockey IQ standpoint, he really barely kept up in Juniors, never-mind the NHL.... his ridiculous physical tools obviously allowed him to score anyway. What I'm hoping is that from a physical standpoint it's so easy for him to put it together that all he has to do is follow the coach's directions.

Just my opinion. Hope I'm wrong.
 
Unless he kills it in camp I would rather have him back in Sarnia. There's no need to rush. I definitely want him to get the 9 games under his belt though. We'll know if he'll have a legitimate shot at making it right away depending on our moves over the next few months.
 
HeliDevil said:
Unless he kills it in camp I would rather have him back in Sarnia. There's no need to rush. I definitely want him to get the 9 games under his belt though. We'll know if he'll have a legitimate shof at making it right away depending on our moves over the next few months.
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We already made the move for him to have a legit shot by not bringing Gomez back.

That was done in part to keep a spot open for him.
 
Thunderfest said:
Know who Zacha reminds me of? A bigger Tuomo Ruutu. I mean as a prospect with Chicago, not the washed-up version we have now. Fast, skilled, mean, but with some question marks about putting it all together.
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Zacha has a ton more talent than Ruutu ever had.
 
TaiMaiShu said:
Ruutu was a former top 10 pick and for good reason. Would have been a helluva player if he weren't such a reckless player. Lead the Hawks im goals his rookie year. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=50514

If Zacha becomes a Holik type center, there's a lot to look forward to im thos kid.
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I think your off with your comparisons in my opinion. Pavel Zacha is not a player like Ruutu and Holik. Regardless of the "prospect" Ruutu was and where he was drafted, he wasnt nearly as dynamic as Zacha is.
 
MNDevilsfan said:
From everything Shero and Hynes have been saying, I am fairly confident they aren't going to shoehorn him into the lineup if they don't think it's the right decision for his development.

Hynes was on ESPN's hockey podcast this weekend, and while his comments were mostly pretty boilerplate, if you read between the lines a bit it seems his first focus this season will be on player development. Probably logical if you want to give a bunch of young players a shot. So if after camp, preseason, and the nine game grace period you think Zacha can hang, why not keep him where he can be coached by an NHL staff?
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Exactly this. I don't get some Hockey fans and wanting players to go through these ridiculous development plans, which could take years. In almost every other sport, the throw him into the fire method and let him play against the best is the best method. Playing against the best and learning from the best is the best way to develop unless your weak minded like an Adam Larsson type or an undersized player. Zacha has all of the physical tools to break out and start as a Rookie if he earns a spot, it's as simple as that.
 
Fear the Wushu said:
Exactly this. I don't get some Hockey fans and wanting players to go through these ridiculous development plans, which could take years. In almost every other sport, the throw him into the fire method and let him play against the best is the best method.
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You're asking an 18-year old to play against men, very few can do that. In the NFL you play right away because you're 20-21 entering the league after three years of college. In the MLB you go through the minors for years unless you're Bryce Harper or an uber prospect of that ilk. The NBA rules kind of prevent that kind of development since everyone goes into the league after a semester of college or as a tall, thin foreigner from overseas.
 
NJDevs26 said:
You're asking an 18-year old to play against men, very few can do that. In the NFL you play right away because you're 20-21 entering the league after three years of college. In the MLB you go through the minors for years unless you're Bryce Harper or an uber prospect of that ilk. The NBA rules kind of prevent that kind of development since everyone goes into the league after a semester of college or as a tall, thin foreigner from overseas.
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Zacha did play against men as a 15/16 year old. May give him a leg up in transitioning to the NHL...or not. We shall see
 
hutter said:
After watching a lot of his play in Sarnia, I seriously don't think he'll be ready. From a hockey IQ standpoint, he really barely kept up in Juniors, never-mind the NHL.... his ridiculous physical tools obviously allowed him to score anyway. What I'm hoping is that from a physical standpoint it's so easy for him to put it together that all he has to do is follow the coach's directions.

Just my opinion. Hope I'm wrong.
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That seems to be the biggest knock. And in that regard, I wonder if it's better to leave that teaching to the staff in Sarnia or to the staff in NJ. I don't know. It does seem that there is definite bust potential here, but his pure skill, size and speed makes me think he'll be alright. I don't think he's going to be a first line center though. I think he's more suited to the wing.
 
NJDevs26 said:
You're asking an 18-year old to play against men, very few can do that. In the NFL you play right away because you're 20-21 entering the league after three years of college. In the MLB you go through the minors for years unless you're Bryce Harper or an uber prospect of that ilk. The NBA rules kind of prevent that kind of development since everyone goes into the league after a semester of college or as a tall, thin foreigner from overseas.
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I am all for letting players develop outside the NHL, but Zacha is a 6'3" 215 lbs at only 18 year old. He is already Getzlaf size. He could get to Ovie/Kovy weight (230lb) without much effort.

He also played against men in the czech league at 16. It is a lot easier to give rookie F shelter minutes vs defenseman (Severson/Larsson).

Personally rather Zacha develop with NJD staff than juniors when he is going to be MUCH bigger than his competition.

That is if he isn't an embarrassment out there.
 
If a player with Zacha's skill, size, speed, and physicality was NHL-ready, he'd have gone #3. Matteau has NHL size and plays a much simpler game, and even he needed a few years.
 
Zacha also seems, dare i say it a little too aggressive for Juniors?

I mean he does need to know how to tone it back at times or hit guys his own size then it might not be so bad.

I go back and fourth about him being in the NHL or juniors. Part of me believes that with the new staff i would rather have him in the NHL part of me wonders if he would be better off in juniors.
 
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