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Zajac Retires from NHL as a Devil

First off, I know that this is a little bit late, but I have an excuse as I was in the hospital for a week. Nothing serious or major but something that will greatly make quality of life much better for me. A big thank you to the Wall Township Police Department, the staff and doctors at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and, of course, my family, all of whom played a key role at one time or another in getting me back in the game!

Now on to business. As training camps across the NHL started last week, Travis Zajac found himself in a strange situation. The Islanders were not keen on resigning him, it seemed, and he did not really want to leave the area where his kids were growing up and his family was being raised to play hockey in another city.

As Zajac told Sam Kasan of the Devils’ official website, he “took some time off, and then took some more time off. I realized that I didn’t have that fire in me to keep going. I never fell out of love with the game of hockey itself, but I did fall out of love with what it takes to keep playing – the time, the commitment, the conditioning, the sacrifice.”

That is when Zajac knew that it was time to hang up his skates for the final time in the NHL.

Last Monday, September 20, Zajac signed a one-day contract with the Devils and then promptly retired a Devil to put a cap on his 15-year NHL career, spent all with the Devils save a month or two (13 games according to the Devils’ PR team) with the Islanders.

Zajac will work as an on/off ice-player development coach and in a consulting role with the Devils. He will also work with the team’s “youth hockey initiatives” in trying to grow the game even more in the state of New Jersey.

Zajac’s statement to family, friends and fans read: “I was drafted in 2004 and played my first game in 2006. As I stand here nearing the end of 2021, I can only be grateful to sing one last time, and retire as a New Jersey Devil.

“As a kid playing hockey on the outdoor rinks in Winnipeg, I dreamt of playing in the NHL. Growing up the oldest of four boys, it was the perfect hockey environment. Thanks to my parents unwavering support in our lives, that dream became a reality. Then, I got to live that childhood goal for 15 years with the Devils.

“I want to thank the New Jersey Devils organization for giving me the opportunity to play in the best league in the world. To the past and present ownership, managing partners, managers, coaches and trainers, your hard work has not gone unnoticed – thank you. And thanks to my agent, Kurt Overhardt, for always believing in me.

“I have to acknowledge all my teammates who helped me throughout my career. I will cherish all the memories made and I hope that I’ve impacted your life the way you’ve positively impacted mine.

“Now, to the fans, you are the reason this game is so special, and I leave the game knowing I enjoyed every moment I got to play in front of you.

“Lastly, I want to thank my beautiful wife Nicole and our kids Zenon, Veronika, and Anya. We have deep roots in New Jersey now. My wife went to graduate school at Montclair State, our three children, were born in Jersey and raised right here in this rink at Prudential Center. They know no other home and no other community like the Devils. It’s now time for me to embed myself into this same community where I grew into adulthood. It is where my heart is, my home, and I’ve never felt otherwise.

“Born in Winnipeg, Made in Jersey.”

After being drafted out of the University of North Dakota of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, where he played two years from 2004 to 2006 (and playing in an NCAA Championship Game in 2004 – his freshman year and the Frozen Four as a sophomore), Zajac arrived in New Jersey.

He played in a total of 1,037 NHL games, collected 203 goals and 349 assists toalign 552 points over his career. The 36-year-old center played in his 1,000th game last season. Fans were not in the building for that milestone, due to COVID-19. However, the team announced that this season, on March 10, 2022 – fittingly against the Winnipeg Jets at Prudential Center – Zajac will be recognized by the Devils and fans will have a chance to give him a proper sendoff.

Thank you to Travis Zajac for the many years of stellar hockey (the 2012 Stanley Cup Final run will never be forgotten, nor will his OT winner in game six against the Panthers that kept the Devils’ postseason light flickering. Who can forget his Running Man Zajac celebration on that goal either?). Good luck in retirement!

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2021 Prospects Challenge: Devils Inch by Bruins, 4-3

The Devils did not have their best game in their first contest of the 2021 Prospects Challenge. They got into some penalty trouble in their loss to the Buffalo Sabres and were not as decisive as they could have been in the 3-0 defeat.

But game two was another game and another chance to show what they could do.

They came to play in their 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins, cleaning up their game and shooting when the situation called for, passing when the situation called for that.

Akira Schmid got the start between the pipes for the Devils, with Nico Daws backing him up. Schmid made 27 saves on 30 Boston shots against for a .900 save percentage.

Down the rink from him was an old friend for the Devils. Jeremy Brodeur, son of Devils’ GOAT Martin and former member of the Binghamton Devils, went for the B’s. He was even still wearing his black-and-red equipment as pointed out by broadcaster Matt Loughlin. Brodeur made 28 saves on 32 shots against for an .875 percentage.

Boston was coming off of a 5-2 win over the Sabres yesterday and continued their hot streak when they got on the board first.

It came on the power play, as all of their goals were scored today, when Joe Masonius took a holding call about five minutes in.

At 11:58 of the first, Jakub Lauko took a shot from the far half wall. Jesper Froden, a 26-year-old out of Sweden, cut through the slot and tipped the shot from Lauko past Schmid to make it 1-0 Bruins.

A little bit after the Boston goal, with 9:10 gone by in the first, Masonius was called for an elbow against Ian McKinnon. He would answer the bell for that against McKinnon. They squared off, but Masonius was tripped up by an errant stick and there was no scrap. The teams did play four-on-four, though, due to Hudson taking a tripping penalty as well.

Before the first frame was up, New Jersey would tie up the game when Dawson Mercer scored at the 2:21 mark. It developed when Nolan Foote jarred a puck loose behind the Boston net and Alexander Holtz picked up the puck. He then quickly centered it to Mercer in the slot, who scored. It was the first goal of the tournament for the Devils and knotted the game at one apiece going into the second period.

The Devils would take the lead less than five minutes into the new frame when Holtz scored on the power play. Mercer got the puck to Nikita Okhotyuk, who whipped it to Holtz at the far half wall. Holtz, who is known for his shot, snapped one on net and beat Brodeur, exploding the water bottle on the net apart in the process. That gave the Devils their first lead of the tournament at 2-1.

Boston tied things six or so minutes after that when Froden scored again on the power play. Lauko and Froden played give-and-go along the right wall, with Froden giving it to Lauko and then heading for the net. He got it back scored from the slot. Fabian Lysell had the secondary assist on the goal that tied the game at two.

Less than a minute after Froden’s second goal, Foote made it 3-2 Devils when they recovered a turnover and headed for the Bruins’ zone. Mercer fed Foote, who was camped out at the near half wall. Foote let loose with a one-time bomb that blew past Brodeur to put the Devils up by one..

New Jersey would grab one more before the second was up to double up their lead.

Patrick Grasso made it 4-2 when the Devils crashed the net after Brodeur made the initial save on Tyler Irvine. The rebound came right out to Grasso, who buried it to give the Devils the two-goal lead with just 37 second to play in the second period.

The third period would see Boston grab another power play goal when Lauko, with 4:47 to play in regulation, took a pass from Lysell and snapped it by Schmid. Jack Ahcan had the secondary assist.

Brodeur was pulled for the extra skater with about two minutes to go in the game, but nothing came of it and our final was 4-3 Devils.

There was some pushing, shoving and grappling following the final whistle, but everyone cleared off of the ice in time and the tournament was over.

Mercer led the Devils in scoring with three points (a goal and two assists), while Spring Lake native Masonius led in penalty minutes with nine.

Next up, the Devils will return home via bus and, this week, training camp – the big camp – will begin!

We will see you Wednesday, the 29th as the Devils open the preseason against the Washington Capitals down in DC.