Will Devils Prospect Pavel Zacha Push For NHL Playing Time This Season?

Pavel Zacha (Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports)

With a lot of changes happening in the New Jersey Devils organization over the past couple of seasons, the Devils Army is starting to hear a lot about our prospects and that includes Pavel Zacha.

The 6th overall pick in the 2015 NHL entry draft, Zacha brings youth and speed to the center position that currently belongs to the likes of assistant captains Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac, and possibly Patrik Elias if he returns.

While earlier this year, on April 9 against Toronto, we got our first look at Zacha in a game where he recorded two assists. This season we will probably see him recalled if production from current centers is not where Head Coach John Hynes wants it to be. Hynes is a coach that wants to develop talent in the system, which might come from his time as the Baby Pens (Pittsburgh’s minor league team) coach prior to his place at head of the Devils helm.

Zacha just competed in the Prospects Challenge where he got to share ice time with some other notable Devils’ proespects, John Quenneville and Michael McLeod. The Devils’ split with a win against the Buffalo Sabres and loss to the Boston Bruins.