Pavel Zacha
Pavel Zacha - New Jersey Devils.jpg
Zacha with the New Jersey Devils in 2015
Born (1997-04-06) 6 April 1997 (age 26)
Brno, Czech Republic
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Centre / left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Boston Bruins
New Jersey Devils
NHL Draft 6th overall, 2015
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 2013–present

Pavel Zacha (born 6 April 1997) is a Czech professional ice hockey player for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Zacha was selected sixth overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Playing career

Zacha played in the 2009 and 2010 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with his minor ice hockey team from Chomutov.[2]

Zacha made his Czech Extraliga debut playing with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec during the 2013–14 Czech Extraliga season.[3]

In the 2014 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, Zacha was selected first overall by the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).[4] He joined the Sting for the 2014–15 season, recording 34 points in 37 games. Zacha followed up in final season with the Sting recording 64 points in 51 games, OHL coaches awarded Zacha best penalty-killer in the Western Conference after his 2015–16 season.[5]

In 2014, 2015, 2016 Zacha competed in the IIHF World Junior Championship with the Czech Republic.[5]

Zacha was ranked eighth for North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[6] He was selected sixth overall by the New Jersey Devils. On 11 August 2015, the Devils signed Zacha to a three-year, entry-level contract.[7] He returned to the Sting for the 2015–16 season. Soon after the Sting season ended, Zacha joined the Devils. He made his NHL debut on 9 April 2016, recording two assists in a 5–1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.[8]

Zacha made the Devils' lineup for the 2016–17 season. He scored his first NHL goal on 3 November 2016 in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers.[9] He finished the season with eight goals and 24 points in 70 games.

After going pointless in ten games to start the 2018–19 season, Zacha was assigned to the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL) on 2 November 2018.[10]

On 10 September 2019, Zacha signed a three-year extension with the Devils.[11]

During the 2019–20 season Zacha recorded 32 points, a personal NHL career high.[5]

On 13 July 2022, Zacha as a restricted free agent was traded by the Devils to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Erik Haula.[12] In avoiding arbitration with the Bruins, Zacha was later signed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract for the 2022–23 season on 8 August 2022.[13] On 14 January 2023, Zacha was signed to a four-year contract extension by the Bruins.[14] Following the news of David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron's respective retirements in the summer of 2023, it is expected that Pavel Zacha will become a first line centre in the National Hockey League.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 Bílí Tygři Liberec CZE U18 36 10 15 25 20 7 2 3 5 6
2011–12 Bílí Tygři Liberec CZE U20 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2012–13 Bílí Tygři Liberec CZE U18 6 6 7 13 4 1 1 0 1 10
2012–13 Bílí Tygři Liberec CZE U20 39 14 26 40 26 5 2 2 4 0
2012–13 HC Benátky nad Jizerou Czech.1 — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0
2013–14 Bílí Tygři Liberec CZE U20 10 6 11 17 64 3 1 1 2 4
2013–14 Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 38 4 4 8 10 — — — — —
2013–14 HC Benátky nad Jizerou Czech.1 12 4 5 9 6 — — — — —
2014–15 Sarnia Sting OHL 37 16 18 34 56 5 2 1 3 10
2015–16 Sarnia Sting OHL 51 28 36 64 97 7 6 7 13 16
2015–16 New Jersey Devils NHL 1 0 2 2 0 — — — — —
2015–16 Albany Devils AHL 3 1 2 3 2 5 1 2 3 2
2016–17 New Jersey Devils NHL 70 8 16 24 19 — — — — —
2017–18 New Jersey Devils NHL 69 8 17 25 30 5 0 0 0 6
2018–19 New Jersey Devils NHL 61 13 12 25 15 — — — — —
2018–19 Binghamton Devils AHL 4 0 5 5 2 — — — — —
2019–20 New Jersey Devils NHL 65 8 24 32 14 — — — — —
2020–21 New Jersey Devils NHL 50 17 18 35 10 — — — — —
2021–22 New Jersey Devils NHL 70 15 21 36 22 — — — — —
2022–23 Boston Bruins NHL 82 21 36 57 16 7 0 6 6 2
NHL totals 468 90 146 236 126 12 0 6 6 8
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
IIHF U18 Championships
Silver medal – second place 2014 Finland
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Slovakia/Czech Republic

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2013 Czech Republic U18 7th 5 0 3 3 2
2013 Czech Republic IH18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 4 1 2 3 4
2014 Czech Republic WJC 6th 5 0 0 0 0
2014 Czech Republic U18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 3 2 5 4
2015 Czech Republic WJC 6th 5 1 1 2 0
2015 Czech Republic U18 6th 5 5 0 5 10
2016 Czech Republic WJC 5th 3 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 34 10 9 19 20

Awards and honors

Award Year
OHL
OHL First All-Rookie Team 2015 [15]
International
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Bronze Medal 2013
IIHF World U18 Championship Silver Medal 2014
IIHF World U18 Championship Top 3 Player on Team 2015
Boston Bruins
Seventh Player Award 2023

References

  1. ^ "Devils select Pavel Zacha sixth overall". New Jersey Devils. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  3. ^ "2013-14 Bili Tygri Liberec player statistics". Eliteprospects.com. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Sting choose Zacha 1st overall in import draft". National Hockey League. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Pavel Zacha Stats and News". NHL.com. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  6. ^ "2015 Draft Prospect Rankings". NHL.com. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Devils sign forward Pavel Zacha". New Jersey Devils. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  8. ^ Canavan, Tom (9 April 2016). "Devils beat Leafs 5-1 in season finale". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  9. ^ Poupart, Alain (4 November 2016). "Vincent Trocheck gives Panthers win in overtime". NHL.com. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  10. ^ Ryan, Chris. "Devils assign Pavel Zacha to AHL | What shocking move means". NJ.com. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  11. ^ "RELEASE: Devils Re-Sign Center Pavel Zacha". NHL.com. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Boston Bruins Acquire Pavel Zacha From Devils In Exchange For Erik Haula". NHL.com. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Bruins sign Pavel Zacha to one-year contract". Boston Bruins. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Bruins Sign Pavel Zacha to Four-Year Contract Extension". NHL.com. 14 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Pavel Zacha at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 23 July 2023.

External links

Awards and achievements Preceded byJohn Quenneville New Jersey Devils first round draft pick 2015 Succeeded byMichael McLeod
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