I know he's not the most popular guy here but I think he's played well. Took 2 stupid penalties and that has to stop if he has any hope of staying up but he also drew 2 by getting in Clarksons head. Thought he's done well on the cycle, throwing the body and overall the 4th line has been terrific and Zac has been good IMO but the penalties need to stop.
I agree with what has been said, I think he can be crazy, but the penalties called on him have been in the ticky-tacky category, and I think he has been very effective on the forecheck for the 4th line in the past two games.
I think once management/coaching told him to play hockey, rather than concentrating on fighting/agitation, he has made some solid plays and served his purpose as an agitator while maintaining a healthy 4th line role.
Current 4th line reminds of the great Carcillo-Betts-Lappy line. Two of 'em are neat'o defensively and one is a speedster who keeps the opposition honest and can cause panic decisions with the puck.
Not everyone in the line up has to be Giroux-esque, just wishing people on the board would understand that.
Current 4th line reminds of the great Carcillo-Betts-Lappy line. Two of 'em are neat'o defensively and one is a speedster who keeps the opposition honest and can cause panic decisions with the puck.
Not everyone in the line up has to be Giroux-esque, just wishing people on the board would understand that.
Long story short: I love him.
Powe - Betts - Laperriere was the line you described.
He's been better than I expected, but the bar wasn't exactly set high. It was nice to see him keep his head cool, when Clarkson acted like a fool last night.
In a perfect world though, he'll be replaced by Schenn later on in the season.
Good: I like his speed, and he sure as hell finishes his checks.
Bad: I see him getting caught out of position, and his head spinning around looking for the puck sometimes.
Ugly*: He plays the game on the edge, so yes, he is going to take dumb penalties. *Still he has proven that he can draw them also.
Overall: He needs more time. He has the skills to be an effective checking forward in the NHL and to get under the opposition's skin. I think it is clear that he is still learning the system and getting a feel for his linemates. IMO, he has much more potential in 4th line than Shelley ever will.
i thought he was pretty good these first 2 games but schenn had 2a in the phantoms home opener, a 6-3 win, last night. i can't imagine schenn will being in the ahl that long and when he is recalled, zac is the odd man out imo. kinda wish it would be shelley but we all know thats not gonna happen.
I think that a lot of us have had the same opinion of him all along. He is a great hitter, not a def liability, good speed, decent fighter, BUT, a loose cannon. There are many of us that have said IF he can grow up he'll be fine. Where we differ is whether or not that will happen.
He's been better than I expected, but the bar wasn't exactly set high. It was nice to see him keep his head cool, when Clarkson acted like a fool last night.
In a perfect world though, he'll be replaced by Schenn later on in the season.
If that's the case then who gets moved to the 4th line? Because moving Schenn there would be a waste and detrimental to his development
Zac is a perfect 4th liner...he's a good skater, can backcheck, can provide a spark with a hit and a fight, and will always be able to draw a penalty
Powe - Betts - Laperriere was the line you described.
No, it was Carcillo-Betts-Lappy. Laviolette loved the unit so much he used to start them in a lot of road games. Kind of 'I dare you to start your top line against them.' The line rocked but none of them could stay healthy...
I agree with what has been said, I think he can be crazy, but the penalties called on him have been in the ticky-tacky category, and I think he has been very effective on the forecheck for the 4th line in the past two games.
I think once management/coaching told him to play hockey, rather than concentrating on fighting/agitation, he has made some solid plays and served his purpose as an agitator while maintaining a healthy 4th line role.
The refs definitely aren't going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Both those were reputation calls - like Downie used to get. Another player might've gotten away with them, like Jagr has gotten away with a few holds and hooks that Rinaldo would've been sitting for.
If Zac just keeps his mouth shut to the refs, pays his dues and keeps flying the way he is, he might stick even after all the other moves.
