All I'm reading here is that he's playing like an NHL player. That's great. There's plenty of 3rd line NHL players that don't do a whole lot.
Yes, I understand he's young, and I'm fully on board that he has potential to be better.
I'm just saying people are talking like he's rounded some huge corner and has been playing great. He's been playing better.. as in like he shouldn't be a healthy scratch like he was. That doesn't make him playing great.. just playing better. Good for him. But he needs to eventually play better than this. .. which he very well could do someday. Just not seeing all that now. He's been stronger on the puck and better defensively, yes. That's nice. I'm not throwing a party for that.
- MartysBetter88

You're right, there are plenty of bad 3rd liners out there... let's include the ones we were playing in the last few years like Lappin, Josefson, Ruutu, Blandisi, Smith-Pelly, etc... they were "on our third line" therefore they were NHL third liners. Zacha actually does what these guys had trouble doing and he's what? 21 next month? Shero moved on from Bernier, Carter, Gionta... guys who could actually play a bottom 6 role... to have this two year try-out for guys who were horribly bad at this role in the last two years. They may have gotten points and had some offensive acumen but they were not two-way forwards... they were just bad NHL top 6 players.

Now he's "at least" a third liner, a pretty good one. Not someone who is a perennial top 6 ahler. If he remains so for his career, then it'll have sucked drafting him at 6 while Werenski, Provorov, Barzal, and especially Rantanen (basically his non-center twin that draft) thrive, but that's drafting 5 to 15. Name a team that's hit every pick from 5 to 15.

Zacha's gonna get better... just stop comparing him to the other guys who succeeded past pick six in the first round. Conte always specialized in "safe picks" and guess what, Zacha was another. Guys who are his size are almost always safe picks. And if Zacha's offense does improve, which I'm guessing it will take a big step up next year since he now plays an NHL game, well his comparable was Getzlaf who only started NHL when he was 21, and at least he already plays a third line game.

It's done, it's over... cheer on the guy. He's what you got. Be happy he isn't Lawson Crouse. Or Hunter Shinkaruk/Nichushkin...

Can we agree he rounded the ‘im not the next Jacob Josefson’ corner?
- Queenie_5_hole

No? Lol

You're right, there are plenty of bad 3rd liners out there... let's include the ones we were playing in the last few years like Lappin, Josefson, Ruutu, Blandisi, Smith-Pelly, etc... they were "on our third line" therefore they were NHL third liners. Zacha actually does what these guys had trouble doing and he's what? 21 next month? Shero moved on from Bernier, Carter, Gionta... guys who could actually play a bottom 6 role... to have this two year try-out for guys who were horribly bad at this role in the last two years. They may have gotten points and had some offensive acumen but they were not two-way forwards... they were just bad NHL top 6 players.

Now he's "at least" a third liner, a pretty good one. Not someone who is a perennial top 6 ahler. If he remains so for his career, then it'll have sucked drafting him at 6 while Werenski, Provorov, Barzal, and especially Rantanen (basically his non-center twin that draft) thrive, but that's drafting 5 to 15. Name a team that's hit every pick from 5 to 15.

Zacha's gonna get better... just stop comparing him to the other guys who succeeded past pick six in the first round. Conte always specialized in "safe picks" and guess what, Zacha was another. Guys who are his size are almost always safe picks. And if Zacha's offense does improve, which I'm guessing it will take a big step up next year since he now plays an NHL game, well his comparable was Getzlaf who only started NHL when he was 21, and at least he already plays a third line game.

It's done, it's over... cheer on the guy. He's what you got. Be happy he isn't Lawson Crouse. Or Hunter Shinkaruk/Nichushkin...
- archromat

I must not be communicating well. I think he has potential and could be a very good player. Right now he's upped his game from healthy scratched level, to good enough to stay in the lineup. People are acting like we lost a contributing top 6 forward when he just hasn't shown that in the last 2 weeks.

you're always full of such great insight! Tell me Zacha is a difference maker. .. he's not. just another unproductive member of a 2-5 team in his last 7 games.
- MartysBetter88

it's okay to admit you don't watch the games.

it's okay to admit you don't watch the games.
- Pomegrant

lol

it's okay to admit you don't watch the games.
- Pomegrant

just another player, regardless of his potential. Who's doing less than him?

..perhaps Grabner.

just another player, regardless of his potential. Who's doing less than him?

..perhaps Grabner.
- MartysBetter88

outside of Hall and Vatanen nobody is on the score sheet. Zacha was at least generating chances. He didn't bury many of them but it's better than literal zero. Underlying numbers were good, but if you only look at goals and assists then you get a blindfolded picture.

outside of Hall and Vatanen nobody is on the score sheet. Zacha was at least generating chances. He didn't bury many of them but it's better than literal zero. Underlying numbers were good, but if you only look at goals and assists then you get a blindfolded picture.
- Pomegrant

I'll just quote myself here.
In the last 7 full games he played, not including the game he left with injury.. 0 points, and the team went 2-5, averaging about 2 hits/game, just over 1 shot/game, and 1 blocked shot.

scoring chances generally involve getting the shot on goal.

I'll just quote myself here.
In the last 7 full games he played, not including the game he left with injury.. 0 points, and the team went 2-5, averaging about 2 hits/game, just over 1 shot/game, and 1 blocked shot.

scoring chances generally involve getting the shot on goal.
- MartysBetter88

might as well tell me his +/- while you're at it.

might as well tell me his +/- while you're at it.
- Pomegrant

you're right. scoring chances doesn't equate to getting shots to the net.