Todd Cordell: Projecting Pavel Zacha's next contract with the New Jersey Devils

2years @ $2 million, good deal for Devs. At the end of it Zajac will be gone and we will know if he is our 3rd line center.

Would you do 4 mil for 6-8 yrs?

Would you do 4 mil for 6-8 yrs?
- Leniwm1

For Zacha? Not a chance in hell!

2years @ $2 million, good deal for Devs. At the end of it Zajac will be gone and we will know if he is our 3rd line center.
- redmonsters

agreed. I'm not spending money on a kid that's shown very little. He's shown 2yrs/2mil. You got 2 more years to develop.. should have it figured out by your 5th season.

Just another over-hyped NJ first round miss. Our success in 1st round draft picks over the past 20 years is laughable.

Agreed on the 2 year 4 mil

Hopefully Zacha's new contract will be with a new team. The guy is a bust, time to cut bait and stop tying up a roster spot on this stiff!! Funny how zacha gets chance after chance to improve, yet macleod is listed as a bust without a shot at playing with real NHL caliber players?

Hopefully Zacha can find his groove and play consistantly good hockey. When he's on hes a great two way player, just never know what zacha is going to show up for each game.

Todd Cordell: Projecting Pavel Zacha's next contract with the New Jersey Devils
- Todd.Cordell

Like I said before, we need a scummy deal. I say one year 7M, followed by an immediate extension of 6 years at 1M AAV. Similar for Butch. If other teams are allowed to sign players with "signing bonus'', which allow players a great deal of upfront money, not to mention significant tax savings, then why can't we use our massive cap space this season to to ensure a cheaper tomorrow.

Like I said before, we need a scummy deal. I say one year 7M, followed by an immediate extension of 6 years at 1M AAV. Similar for Butch. If other teams are allowed to sign players with "signing bonus'', which allow players a great deal of upfront money, not to mention significant tax savings, then why can't we use our massive cap space this season to to ensure a cheaper tomorrow.
- bikeguy99

because it's called cap circumvention and it's against the CBA. Players getting all of their contract money up front in signing bonuses doesn't change their cap hit.

Ideally Zacha is a 3rd line center and he should be paid as such until he shows he can be more then that.

I still have hope he will break out this year and I don’t think he’s a bust. He’s a legit NHLer. Just disappointing based on where he was drafted. Nothing you can do about that now.

2 mil would be a good deal for nj..zacha can play in all situations. Sure he is insanely inconsistent, but 13 goals in 61 games is impressive to me..i didn't think he could even do that lol. That shows me that he is at least a good shooter which is just about the only thing I liked about him in the draft...

Ideally Zacha is a 3rd line center and he should be paid as such until he shows he can be more then that.

I still have hope he will break out this year and I don’t think he’s a bust. He’s a legit NHLer. Just disappointing based on where he was drafted. Nothing you can do about that now.
- Queenie_5_hole

Exactly why a two year bridge works for him and the Devils. He doesn’t have arbitration rights yet, but will after two years. He develops he will get paid, he doesn’t the Devils aren’t on the hook for term for someone who didn’t pan out.

My guess will be around 2.5-3x2: his ability to play the PK shows he's already good in a utility role. He's only just under 50% on faceoffs - I expect he'll improve that as well.

Exactly why a two year bridge works for him and the Devils. He doesn’t have arbitration rights yet, but will after two years. He develops he will get paid, he doesn’t the Devils aren’t on the hook for term for someone who didn’t pan out.
- smellmyfinger

He’s really good on the pk so even if he doesn’t pan out after this contract he’ll be fine on the fourth line

He’s really good on the pk so even if he doesn’t pan out after this contract he’ll be fine on the fourth line
- shvingter88

He’s doomed.

Some good Jesper Boqvist highlights. Kid clearly has skill.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3klzj6XhGfE

because it's called cap circumvention and it's against the CBA. Players getting all of their contract money up front in signing bonuses doesn't change their cap hit.
- Pomegrant

You are not wrong. But everything can be construed as cap circumvention. That is why negotiations are so rigorous. Why is it that Thorton is allowed to make 8M when the sharks had a ton of cap, but would gladly stay another year for 1M if it means keeping Karlsson? How about front loading contracts which is still done today? And signing bonus' heavy contracts are much cheaper to buy out down the road. Is that cap circumvention? We already know that it is a form of tax evasion, currently accepted, but you would be hard pressed to prove any wrong doing. Just call it a misjudgment of the players talents on a short term contract, merged with a reasonable cap hit going forward.

We’re doomed.
- smellmyfinger

Fixed

You are not wrong. But everything can be construed as cap circumvention. That is why negotiations are so rigorous. Why is it that Thorton is allowed to make 8M when the sharks had a ton of cap, but would gladly stay another year for 1M if it means keeping Karlsson? How about front loading contracts which is still done today? And signing bonus' heavy contracts are much cheaper to buy out down the road. Is that cap circumvention? We already know that it is a form of tax evasion, currently accepted, but you would be hard pressed to prove any wrong doing. Just call it a misjudgment of the players talents on a short term contract, merged with a reasonable cap hit going forward.
- bikeguy99

Because Thornton has a reason to accept a 1 million contract. It makes 0 sense for Zacha at this point in his career.

Because Thornton has a reason to accept a 1 million contract. It makes 0 sense for Zacha at this point in his career.
- rmdevil313

you missed the point. It was just an example how Zacha could average north of 2M per season, just with a one year front load. It is simply a deceiving way of doing so. My only point with the Thorton example is to explain how cap circumvention rules do not work. He might make 8M one season, than 1M the next and nobody blinks, but if we were to overpay a guy on a one year term, then extend him for a much lower cap hit, they really can't prove any cap circumvention. Just a fancy term the league uses to fake equality, which has been stretched to the max by most teams.

And if Zacha was offered a deal that payed him 14M as I jokingly proposed, he would be very wise to take it, as he has not shown any promise of becoming a top 6 forward at this juncture in his career.