New Jersey Devils notes: On Pavel Zacha and clearing cap space

Former Devils assistant Mark Recchi made some interesting comments about Zacha. Plus, a few teams to watch in New Jersey's quest to move money out.

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A couple New Jersey Devils notes as we continue to crawl through the dog days of the summer:

On Pavel Zacha

Former New Jersey Devils assistant coach Mark Recchi recently spoke to the Boston media about one of the team’s newer players, Pavel Zacha. He had some pretty, uh, interesting things to say.

Excerpts via BostonHockeyNow:

Well, I think there’s a ton of skill there once he can figure out how to use it on a consistent basis. I mean talent wise, Donny [Bruins GM Don Sweeney] got a steal here. Talent wise he’s way better than Haula.

…

“Confidence and just putting it all together has been the issue,” Mark Recchi said. “Last year he got off to a great start; was really our best player, and then he hit a bump a bit and he just couldn’t seem to dig himself out of it.

While there is truth to some of what Recchi said, I think it is important to be realistic with Zacha.

Playoffs included, he has appeared in 391 NHL games. He is 25 years old and, theoretically, has reached his peak years.

The confidence and being more consistent cards have been played for the better part of six years. At some point the player is what he is and I think we’ve reached that point with Zacha.

Does he possess more raw talent than Haula? Sure, I think that’s fair. But it’s important to note that has not shown up in the results one iota.

Zacha has played six full seasons in the NHL. He has never averaged even 1.70 points per 60 at 5v5, which isn’t that high of a bar.

Haula, by comparison, has hit that total four different times over the last six years. He averaged fewer than 1.58 points/60 only one season during that span.

Meanwhile, Zacha cleared that mark only once.

I understand comparing Zacha’s earlier years to a time when Haula was already established as a full-time player isn’t necessarily fair.

I’m just trying to point out that – despite Zacha being “way better” talent wise – that is still yet to shine through; even now that Zacha is in his prime and Haula has exited his.

And it’s not as if Zacha was playing with garbage during his tenure in New Jersey. He spent nearly 400 more minutes with Jesper Bratt and/or Nico Hischier than the next closest forward (Miles Wood) over the past three years – and the outputs were still never there at full-strength.

For example, Zacha averaged 1.59 points per 60 while sharing the ice with Nico while the likes of Johnsson (1.85), Tomas Tatar (1.81), and *checks notes* Ryan Graves (1.66) were more efficient.

Don’t get me wrong; it is possible the best is yet to come for Zacha in Boston. But it was beyond clear that – no matter how he was used in New Jersey – the only way they could get production out of him was by simply spoon-feeding him minutes (in the top-6 and on PP1) he didn’t deserve.

With regards to Zacha being New Jersey’s “best player” in the early going – when he accumulated 12 points over 17 games – that is simply not the case.

Bratt recorded 13 points, a +7 goal differential at 5v5, and a team-best 61 xGF% during the time Zacha was supposedly the best.

Dawson Mercer matched Zacha’s total production (12 points) while posting a +10 goal differential at 5v5 playing alongside Bratt and Andreas Johnsson.

Nico Hischier posted a ~58 xGF%, +4 goal differential at 5v5, and recorded 12 points while cycling through a wide array of mediocre linemates.

But, yes, it was Zacha who was the best player because he shot 18% for a few weeks while getting out-scored at 5v5.

I get defending the player you know and care for. I get saying he could have more to give. I get all of that. But all Recchi is doing by stretching the truth is setting unrealistic expectations for a player who has failed to meet them his entire career.

On clearing cap