Shero: Devils roster will have room for Zacha

Pavel Zacha might have a permanent home in New Jersey starting next season.

The Devils' 2015 first-round pick will be looking to crack the opening-day roster for the first time this upcoming season, and as general manager Ray Shero sees it, the 19-year-old should have every chance to do so.

"Absolutely, I'm looking forward to seeing him," Shero said, according to Andrew Gross of NorthJersey.com "He's been battling a hip pointer and we'll see how that impacts him at development camp, but he'll be ready for training camp. Yeah, there's room for him. There's always room for good players."

Zacha has had just one year of development since the team plucked him sixth overall, but what a year it has been.

Zacha returned to the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, where he went off for 28 goals and 64 points in 51 games. He lit up the postseason, managing six goals and 13 points in just seven games. He made his NHL debut in the Devils' final game of the season, scoring two assists.

Then to top things off, Zacha joined the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Albany, where he had three points in three games in the regular season and three points over five playoff games.

The Devils finished last season with a league-worst 2.22 goals per game, but if Zacha is any proof, help could soon be on the way.