NEWARK -- Devils rookie center Pavel Zacha has been making a lot of calls this season to his Detroit-based agent.

Patrick Stefan, a fellow Czech and former first overall NHL draft pick who knows a lot about struggling, has been Zacha's sounding board during what's been a very disappointing first half to 2016-17.

Stefan usually listens, then offers advice.

"I've been calling him every day," Zacha told NJ Advance Media on Monday before his latest nothing night, a 3-0 Devils loss to the Florida Panthers that pushed his scoreless streak to 14 games. "It's really good to have an agent like that who can help me."

So what kind of tips has Zacha been getting from Stefan, who is one of the biggest busts in NHL history?

"It depends how I play," said Zacha, the sixth overall pick of the 2015 draft. "He's watching every game, so he tells me what I should get better at. He's always telling me to shoot more because I never shoot that many pucks. I'm more pass than shoot, so he's telling me shoot."

Zacha's been hearing the same thing from Devils coach John Hynes, and he's not listening.

Zacha is big, strong, fast and skilled, yet has 33 shots on net to go with his two goals and nine points in 36 games.

The Devils were expecting more this season from Zacha even though the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is still just an NHL baby at age 19.

Asked about Zacha after Monday's morning skate, Devils coach John Hynes threw out some harsh criticism.

"Why is he not scoring?" Hynes said. "He's got to shoot the puck more. He has to play harder on the puck in the offensive area. He's got to skate. He's not putting himself in positions to score goals either.

"So instead of wondering why the goals aren't going in, let's continue to work on how we're going to create more scoring (and) use his assets. ... When he's in opportunities to shoot the puck, shoot it."

Asked if Zacha needs to get stronger, Hynes shot back, "He needs to get more competitive."

Hynes has sent a few strong messages this season in the form of healthy scratches, one in mid-December and two in a row to end the calendar year.

"It was pretty tough because I never was a healthy scratch in my life," Zacha said. "It was the first time. I didn't know what to do or what to think, but when I look at it now I think it was good because we were in an eight-game losing streak and we needed to change something. I was watching the game from (the press box) and trying to get better that way."

Zacha says he's hungry to develop into an NHL player that has him contributing like he did last season when he put up 28 goals and 64 points over 51 junior games for the OHL's Sarnia Sting.

"The first year in junior, I didn't have that many points," he said. "The next year I was the guy who needed to have the points and win the game, and I had a lot of goals. I'm hoping that happens here. I'm just trying to be a good two-way guy now."

Zach does want to score a little now. His point drought is in his head, and at times he's felt pressure living up to being a high No. 1 pick.

"It's hard," he said. "I think the last five or six games I've had really good opportunities to score a goal, and if I keep going it's going to come one day. Hopefully soon.

"It's always hard when you don't score and you don't have points. It always gets in your head, especially when you're a young guy. But I think I can get better."

Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.