NHL | It’s hard to play badly with Krejča and Paste. Pavel Zacha on the chemistry of the Czech Bruins line, the new contract and thoughts on the playoffs

MONTREAL (from our correspondent) – After seven years and 386 games for New Jersey, the 2015 No. 6 pick is having the best moments of his career. It is clear that the Czech cooperation with Davidy Krejčí and Pastrňák has a part in this. So why not take advantage of it.

It works well for you, doesn’t it?

With such players as Krejča and Pasta, it is difficult to play badly. They tell me what to do and where to be. During the season, things keep getting better between us. Krejča and Paste played many matches together in the past, it is easier for them. But every game with them I feel more and more at ease.

Where do you think Pastrňák has his limits?

(smiles) Hard to say, he keeps getting better, every year. He is one of those players who work hard on himself. I really like to see Czech players who are constantly improving. In addition, he is young, 26 years old, still has a lot of time and is still going up.

Were your Czech teammates one of the reasons that brought you to Boston?

It was better that I knew Boston well, I trained there in the summer. But you’re right, I went to a team where there are a lot of Czechs and really great guys, so it was much easier to acclimatize. We talk in Czech on the ice, which I have never experienced in the NHL. It’s great for me, I enjoy it.

In fact, already halfway through the season, you have secured your future for the next four years. Did you expect the outcome of your contract?

I hoped. Already in the summer, we talked about wanting me here longer, but we said that we would make the contract for one year and see how this season goes. But I knew that I wanted to be here for a longer period of time and they were also interested. That’s why I also went to Boston.

Did you celebrate the new contract?

I went to dinner with my fiancee and her family. I called my parents, my sister is coming in two weeks, so we’ll celebrate here too, I’m looking forward to that. Although it’s the middle of the season, so it will be different than in the summer, but I’m glad it happened and I can just focus on hockey.

Your brother-in-law is Liberec football player Theo Gebre Selassie, did he also call with congratulations?

We have a lot of fun, and I hope he can come after his season to watch. He’s never been here before. And actually, the sister has never been to America either, she’s finally going to look here.

Do you still follow your former Devils team? Years later, they started doing better again.

I talk a lot with Tomáš Tatar. It’s much better than a few years back. I know most of the guys there, you can see that they enjoy hockey, and that’s good. When we play them, of course we have to beat them, but otherwise I wish them the best of luck in the season.

What is it that started to work for them?

I think both goalies are healthy now. In the last season, we had a goalkeeper called up either from the AHL or from the ECHL, which did not help us much. This year, Vítek Vaněček is catching excellently there, which is the basis of success. We scored a lot of goals, but the defense didn’t work that well. Now the defense has strengthened and they don’t concede as many times.

What are you better at now than when you were with the Devils?

I’m happy to be able to talk to veterans like Krejča and Bergy (captain Patrice Bergeron – editor’s note). They are centers with whom I discuss, for example, bulls and various decisions they make. And above all, I can observe them in training, that is one of the most important things for me. I have someone here to look up to. They also try to help me a lot. It’s great to have these players in the team.

You are only five points short of your personal record from last season (36 points) after 47 games played. Will it matter to you when you get over him?

Every player wants to improve. Game wise and points wise. There is a chance for that. When you’re in a team like we are now, there’s even more focus for the team to win. This year I am more relaxed and try to play for the team. In addition, I don’t have a year where I have to collect points for a new contract, I’m glad for that.

You’re probably already thinking about the playoffs, in which you haven’t played much in the NHL yet. Or not?

I didn’t have much chance, now the chance is big and you think about it. But we try to play a little differently. We have five-game segments here. And we want to complete those tasks and move on. This keeps you mentally focused for short periods of time. But you still think a little about the playoffs. All four lines play well. We have a team built for the playoffs and it’s fun to play here.

Bigger than New Jersey?

We call Boston a smaller New York. It’s easier to get out of the city, it’s more like Europe. English, Irish style. It’s better for me, I’m closer to my friends. In Jersey, a lot of people went to New York for dinner, and here you have an excellent restaurant five minutes from the apartment. I no longer have to go to Newark for practices and games. I have everything within a ten minute drive in Boston. And the main difference is what kind of sports city it is.

The ideal scenario would probably be if you and the Celtics basketball players, with whom you share the TD Garden hall, were celebrating the title.

(Laughs) I went to see a few of their games since I never really watched an NBA game. Like us, they are very successful, the city lives on it. It would be great if two Boston teams could celebrate from one arena.