Veteran speedster Zajac regains footing

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This article was published 29/11/2016 (3229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There was a time, years ago, when New Jersey Devils centre Travis Zajac was among the fastest players in the NHL. At 31, he’s not so sure anymore. 

“(The game) has gotten way faster,” Zajac said Tuesday, prior to an evening game between the Devils and Winnipeg Jets at the MTS Centre.

“When I came in 11 years ago, there was speed, but it wasn’t throughout the lineup like it is now. From the top forward to your 12th guy, everyone has speed, everyone can contribute and everyone has skill.”

There’s no need to worry Zajac, a native of Winnipeg, might have lost a step. Devils head coach John Hynes will assure you of that.

“Travis is having a great year,” said Hynes. “He’s been our most consistent player, night in, night out.”

Zajac’s longevity in New Jersey is astounding. He’s in the fourth year of an eight-year contract worth US$46 million and, after two seasons of diminished offensive production, he appears to have regained his point-producing touch.

Through 21 games prior to Tuesday, Zajac led the Devils with 15 points, including five goals. That’s despite lengthy injury absences of linemates Taylor Hall and Michael Cammalleri.

“Everyone goes through it,” Zajac said. “With Hallsy out and Cammy out for a bit, we’ve had other guys step up… injuries happen during the year and no one feels sorry for you when you’ve got top guys out and other guys have stepped up and played well.

“That’s how you remain competitive. With good structure and a good team game, you can still manage to get by.”

The Devils entered Tuesday with a tenuous grip on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after finishing 12th and out of the post-season picture in 2015-16.

“As a team, we’re in a good spot,” said Zajac. “We’re in a playoff position. For us, we want to get better as the year goes on. Right now, we’ve put ourselves in a position to get better and put ourselves (among) the top teams in the Eastern Conference.  

“We’ve brought in some more skill here with Taylor (Hall) and Beau Bennett. We’ve got (Devante) Smith-Pelly back again so we’re definitely a more skilled team this year than we were last year and we’ve had contributions from everyone throughout the lineup. It eases the pressure on everyone to go out there and score every game and every shift.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14