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5 New Jersey Devils Players Who Could Be Bound For World Championships

By Nick Villano

Nico Hischier (SUI) celebrates his goal with teammates during the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Slovakia group B game between Latvia and Switzerland at Ondrej Nepela Arena on May 12, 2019 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images)
Nico Hischier (SUI) celebrates his goal with teammates during the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Slovakia group B game between Latvia and Switzerland at Ondrej Nepela Arena on May 12, 2019 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images) /
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New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils center Pavel Zacha (37): Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

Pavel Zacha – Czechia

Pavel Zacha had a terrible season after his best season in the NHL. Things hit a fever pitch against the Detroit Red Wings where he missed the net completely on two amazing opportunities including a breakaway. After scoring 35 points in 50 games last season, he has 32 points in 67 games this season. Zacha’s value has plummeted, and these might be the last games we see the former sixth-overall pick in a Devils uniform.

Zacha fell off in a big way this season, and his confidence is shot, but he is still one of the better players to come out of the former Czech Republic. Zacha has never represented Czechia at the IIHF World Championships in his career, but this is as good a time as any to make his debut on the world stage. He is trying to recoup some of his value, and he wants good teams to go after him this offseason.

Zacha will easily make the Czechia team if he wants to play. He hasn’t represented his country since the 2016 World Junior Championships. He wasn’t exactly great there, scoring just two points in five games, but he did show a lot of effort that likely helped his draft status.

This would actually be a smart move for Zacha. He needs to show he can be the player he was last season. A lot went wrong for the Devils this season. Zacha is one of those problems. He has to show teams, whether the Devils or others, he can be an offensive threat.

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