Likelihood 5 Prominent New Jersey Devils Players Could Be Traded
By Nick Villano
Pavel Zacha
Likelihood he gets traded: 50-50 right now
Pavel Zacha is still the most prominent name in rumors right now. He’s been tied to teams as a trade target for months, most prominently with the Vancouver Canucks. He’s also been tied to the Montreal Canadiens and other teams since his name first came up late last year. It makes sense from every side. He hasn’t exactly worked out for the Devils, and he’s another player who has to get signed in the offseason.
However, another team will look at Zacha as unfinished talent. There’s a reason he was taken sixth overall in the stacked 2015 NHL Draft. He has size and a great shot. There are definite flaws, and his total bungling of the defensive side is something the next team will need to fix, but these things are fixable. There’s a chance the Devils will just keep him and push him towards the bottom six, but it might be best for everyone if he gets a chance at the top six elsewhere.
It seems like the Devils would like to turn Zacha into a different NHL player. Obviously, there are talks about Zacha being part of a Brock Boeser trade. Whether he’s the centerpiece isn’t known just yet. Heck, we don’t even know if it’s going to happen. The Canucks are back in the race for a playoff spot, and the dwindling Vegas Golden Knights are keeping them in that race. So it might sully a deal. Another team might be willing to swap assets, but this trade has everything to do with Zacha’s value. If it isn’t high enough, then the Devils are going to just keep him and try again in the offseason.