Devils 1st-round pick Pavel Zacha leaves development camp without entry-level contract

Pavel Zacha failed to take care of business off the ice at the New Jersey Devils development camp that wrapped up Saturday.

Despite a solid showing while skating with the team's other prospects, the 18-year-old, drafted sixth overall in 2015, didn't sign his entry-level contract during the event.

"I just tried to do my best here and I if play well, the contract will come," Zacha told Tom Gulitti of Fire and Ice. "I'd really like to sign as soon as I can, but my agent is working on it now and we'll see."

Zacha added he's hoping to earn a spot on the main roster come training camp, but, as Gulitti reports, he has to sign relatively quickly for that to be a possibility:

For Zacha to play for the Devils, he needs to be signed to an entry-level contract - and he needs to be signed by 5 p.m. on Aug. 18. That is the second deadline for players under contract with teams in Europe - as Zacha is with Liberec in the Czech Republic (confirmed by Pavel Barta of Denik Sport in Czech) - to be signed for them to be eligible to play in the NHL in 2015-16.

The first deadline of July 15 already passed, so now the Devils will have to pay Liberec a $100,000 transfer fee - as outlined in the NHL's transfer agreement.

Devils general manager Ray Shero said talks with Zacha's agent, Patrik Stefan, have been positive and devoid of red flags, meaning there's a good chance he will indeed be signed prior to the deadline.

For now, however, his ability to attend training camp remains uncertain.

Zacha appeared in 37 games for the OHL's Sarnia Sting last season, scoring 16 goals and adding 18 assists.