A Sad news;A devils vital player has been suspended because of his wife issues
After 15 seasons and more than a thousand games, Travis Zajac has retired from the NHL after returning home to New Jersey.
The longtime Devils assistant captain signed a one-day contract on Monday in order to retire with the team that had drafted him 17 years earlier. “I was drafted in 2004 and played my first game in 2006,” Zajac said in a statement released by the team.
“As I stand here nearing the end of 2021, I can only be grateful to sign one last time, and retire as a New Jersey Devil.” Zajac played 15 seasons and 1,024 games in New Jersey, becoming only the fourth player in team history to play at least 1,000 games with the Devils.
Zajac scored 202 goals and was credited with 348 career assists with the Devils, reaching the postseason six times with the team. Feb. 27, 2021; Newark, N.J. — New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) is recognized for his 1,000th
career NHL game as a New Jersey Devil prior to a game against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center. Zajac’s name is all over the Devils history books, as he ranks third in team history in goals and fifth in assists all-time.
Zajac also took 1,795 shots on the ice in a Devils uniform. Only Patrik Elias, John MacLean and Bobby Holik shot the puck more for the Devils than Zajac did.
“As a kid playing hockey on the outdoor rinks in Winnipeg, I dreamt about playing in the NHL,” Zajac’s statement reads. “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.
” Zajac was drafted 20th overall in the 2004 NHL Draft and quickly became a fan favorite on the late 2000s and early 2010s Devils teams. Zajac was named an assistant captain for the 2013-2014 season and was one of the longest-reigning assistant captains in the NHL prior to his last season in New Jersey.
