Prospect Info: 6th Overall Pick: Pavel Zacha

[NJDevs26]

This is going to be like the Gelinas negotiation last year and come down to the wire cause of a power hungry agent

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Get a new agent, Pavel. Please. This one is a bust.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Zacha is the only top 10 pick in this draft not signed, correct? I know he is the only one among the highly touted Czech players.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Zacha is the only top 10 pick in this draft not signed, correct? I know he is the only one among the highly touted Czech players.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure of the top ten only Zacha isn't signed.

 

[MadDevil]

It's not really a Devils offseason unless there's some kind of drama surrounding a player signing.

 

[Bleedred]

Stefan busted as a player and now looks to be failing as an agent too.

I laughed out loud in public when I read this. The girl sitting across from me thought I was creepy.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

It's not really a Devils offseason unless there's some kind of drama surrounding a player signing.

Sad but true. It's a grand tradition of this franchise.

 

[Emperoreddy]

And you know it's all Stefan. Shero already proved he can negotiate a contract.

Zacha clearly wants to play.

His agent is just a total bust.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

And you know it's all Stefan. Shero already proved he can negotiate a contract.

Zacha clearly wants to play.

His agent is just a total bust.

Yeah, Zacha just seems to have bad luck with agents. I hope he dumps Stefan like he did his last agent for raising a stink about him going to Sarnia.

 

[MadDevil]

This signing should be as easy as hitting an empty net.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

This signing should be as easy as hitting an empty net.

That explains Stefan's struggles with it, then.

 

[Bleedred]

Stefan is only 35 years old, a young guy among agents. I wonder how long he's been in this line of work for? Seems like he's either a real novice or just some rookie hot shot.

He's definitely been out of playing for the better part of a decade now.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Stefan is only 35 years old, a young guy among agents. I wonder how long he's been in this line of work for? Seems like he's either a real novice or just some rookie hot shot.

He's definitely been out of playing for the better part of a decade now.

He is nuts if he thinks Shero is just going to crack and give him max everything just so he a chance at camp.

 

[Maine Fan]

This signing should be as easy as hitting an empty net.

That's why it should have been done already. I put all the blame on Stefan wanting max with bonuses. Zacha is a risk of making the team this season.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Why is this one all on Stefan? Amazing what a change of GM's brings you. Imagine if it's the other guy still here.

Perhaps Stefan knows he has Shero bent over a barrel and knows he's planning/pencilling him and how dire the forward situation is here.

 

[hidek91]

Funny how everyone blames Stefan, yet noone here really knows any details. As an agent his job is to maximize profit for his player, maybe Shero is lowballing them etc.

 

[Blender]

Just give him max salary and bonuses if that is what he is looking for. If Zacha performs to the level to earn all those bonuses, he will deserve the pay boost anyways. Not like we are dieing for cap space right now, and top prospects typically get the best deals.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Funny how everyone blames Stefan, yet noone here really knows any details. As an agent his job is to maximize profit for his player, maybe Shero is lowballing them etc.

I agree on this, I guess we go from the Don to the Teflon Don.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's really over pennies (and probably what the bonuses are for), and Shero's not a stickler over performance bonuses...and I don't see why Zacha should get a max package if say the #5 and #7 picks aren't getting them anyway.

http://fireandice.northjersey.com/f...hiring-director-of-amateur-scouting-1.1382683

The hold-up is believed to be over the Schedule A individual performance bonuses, which can be given out for meeting statistical thresholds in categories such as ice time, goals, assists, points, points per game, etc. Former Devils GM Lou Lamoriello refused to include Schedule A bonuses because it went against his team philosophy. (Defenseman Adam Larsson's 2010 entry-level deal didn't include them.)

With Shero in charge, Zacha will receive at least some A bonuses in his deal, but agreeing upon how much – the player cannot receive more than $850,000 total and no more than $212,500 per category – has proven to be tricky. A source said Stefan is seeking the maximum package.

As stipulated in the collective bargaining agreement, Zacha's contract will be for three seasons and he will no doubt receive the maximum entry-level NHL salary of $925,000 and AHL salary of $70,000 per season.

Just give him max salary and bonuses if that is what he is looking for. If Zacha performs to the level to earn all those bonuses, he will deserve the pay boost anyways. Not like we are dieing for cap space right now, and top prospects typically get the best deals.

Except for all we know Stefan might want bonuses to be for ridiculously easy benchmarks, and yes he probably does think he has Shero over a barrel cause of the public hyping up of how much they want him to win a spot on the team or at least have the ability to compete for a spot.

 

[Missionhockey]

Maybe you guys shouldn't be stressed about this? Worst case scenario, he doesn't get signed and goes back to play in Sarnia which is probably the best thing for him anyway.

 

[Classic Devil]

Maybe you guys shouldn't be stressed about this? Worst case scenario, he doesn't get signed and goes back to play in Sarnia which is probably the best thing for him anyway.

That's a good point.

 

[NJDevs26]

Maybe you guys shouldn't be stressed about this? Worst case scenario, he doesn't get signed and goes back to play in Sarnia which is probably the best thing for him anyway.

That's the leverage Shero can use...if he wants. It just seems like they really want Zacha to be part of the mix this year or at least give him an opportunity to be part of the mix.

Honestly I wouldn't care if Zacha had to spend the year overseas or in juniors depending on eligibility, I kind of want that anyway - but I do care if we have to deal with an agent that comes off as a clown according to hometown papers, and is going to be difficult on a nickel and dime deal that gets done practically by rote. Plus IF he is eligible for the AHL I'd rather he play there and get acclimated to the NA game than stay overseas.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Perhaps Shero made a mistake by flying Zacha up to meet the STH at a Q and A and has told him he's in the immediate plan.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Funny how everyone blames Stefan, yet noone here really knows any details. As an agent his job is to maximize profit for his player, maybe Shero is lowballing them etc.

except we do know most of the details

its pretty clear this is on the agent, not Shero

 

[NJDevs26]

btw Hanifin drafted one spot above Zacha isn't getting max salary but I guess he's getting back the difference in the signing bonus:

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=774548&navid=DL|CAR|home

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed defenseman Noah Hanifin to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will pay Hanifin $832,500 on the NHL level or $70,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level through the 2017-18 season. Hanifin also receives a signing bonus of $277,500.