I gotta think he wants less term than that to prove he has more of an offensive game to get a bigger next contract

If Im Zacha, I'd skip all the contract negotiation BS and ask for a trade to a team that needs a centerman. He's never going to be anything other than a 3rd/4th line center in NJ now with the addition of Hughes.

We've all been waiting for him to prove it, now he wants to get S#i!!y. Maybe showing who you are the past few years gets you there.
He and his agent should have done this before this stupid move! I like PZ but how did he think this would go?

I also think that if all this outstanding RFAs were signed he would already have his deal in place. I am sure that PZ gets that and does not want to be the caboose! Gardiner bailed from TOR becasue he wanted to make sure there would be a chair left once the music stopped!

PZ has a great opp to play with some more talent and get it right, this was not the way.

I remember when Lou Lams moved a player to the San Diego Gulls for similar s#!t. It never goes well

Where do you see him getting his big chance? On the PP? there are 7 forwards who are getting that time ahead of him. On the 3rd and 4th line? Those are some ok players but nothing that should guarantee him breaking out.

I'm not saying he's deserving of anything, just that with the structure of the team, its going to be very hard for him to get the ice time he probably thinks he needs to develop. So if I were him I'd straight up ask for a trade. Not because he hates NJ or anything, just to improve his odds of "making it".

You were saying?

First off he's now signed 3 yrs $2.25.

Now then, his big chance would have been the past two years. It has been easier fro him to make his presence known. Now that we are filling the team with talent he wants to get slotted high up and get paid. It does not work that way. If it did Shero would already be overpaying him.
And I like PZ.

He's betting on himself and I think its a bet I don't think he can win. Oh well, that's his prerogative. I have a feeling by the time his contract is done, he'll established himself as an decent 3rd liner. Not sure he's gonna be able to cash in when he's UFA the way its going. But as we've seen he doesn't have much of a choice when the team hold his rights.

It looks like Zacha may find himself between a rock and a hard place. Which is why I would have asked for a trade if I were him. He needs to find a team that will play him top 6 minutes like right now and with NJ's depth, I don't think he can get that. Even if he shifted to the wing.

Maybe he get this year in and decides just that, trade me. If he builds on his end of season scoring early this year hes on his way.

Yeah that's why felt trying to negotiate his contract so intensely against Shero might have been a waste of time, best case scenario would have been a short term contract that hopefully if he was traded, he could have a big year on the new team and get a bigger bump on his next contract. 3 years was too long IMO.

@NJD74 I just came here to eat humble pie. I was wrong and you were right