New Jersey Devils: 5 Players Who Were Rolling Before Season Paused
By Mike Luci
Pavel Zacha
GP: 65 G: 8 A: 24
| Stat | 10/2-12/31 | 1/1-3/11 |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 35 | 30 |
| Goals | 3 | 5 |
| Assists | 13 | 11 |
Developmentally, Pavel Zacha has been an excruciatingly frustrating slow boil. Uncertainty surrounding Zacha’s true potential and future with the organization spiked earlier this season, however his play in 2020 has since eased many of those reservations. Through the season’s 2019 section, he averaged .46 points per game, while maintaining .53 points per game since January. Zacha set new career-highs this season in points (32) and assists (24). Prior to the season’s suspension, he would have been on pace for 9-10 goals and 28-29 assists, which would have been good for nearly 40 points.
Although Zacha’s average shots per game increased subtly between the season’s 2019 and 2020 sects and his five-on-five advanced stats haven’t undergone any groundbreaking changes, Zacha’s improved numbers in 2020 largely derive from his special teams production. This season, 12 of Zacha’s 32 points came on the power play or penalty kill. Since January, Zacha has tallied 11 of those special teams points—three goals and eight points on the power play, two goals and three points came shorthanded.