Travis Zajac
Travis Zajac | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 13, 1985 Canada |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey centre (retired) |
| Years active | 2006–2021 |
| Known for | Playing for New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders in the NHL |
Travis Zajac (; ; born May 13, 1985) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre. Selected 20th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, he appeared in over 1,000 NHL contests, predominantly with the Devils and briefly with the New York Islanders.
Amateur
Zajac launched his junior hockey journey with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), where he led the squad in goals, assists, and total points during his sophomore season. He was honored as the BCHL Interior Division MVP and participated in the BCHL All-Star Game. Although projected as a first-round NHL draft prospect, the Devils traded up to select him 20th overall in 2004 after thorough scouting. Prioritizing education alongside hockey development, Zajac opted to play collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota rather than pursuing major junior hockey.
In his initial year at North Dakota, Zajac tallied 17 goals and 19 assists for a total of 36 points, playing a key role in guiding the team to the 2005 Frozen Four. His performances earned him spots on the Championship All-Tournament Team, NCAA East All-Tournament Team, and WCHA All-Rookie Team. During his sophomore year, he improved his output to 18 goals and 29 assists (47 points), aiding North Dakota in securing the WCHA playoff championship and advancing to another NCAA tournament. The roster included future NHL talents such as T. J. Oshie and Jonathan Toews. Zajac contributed six points throughout the tournament before North Dakota was eliminated in the Frozen Four semifinals.
New Jersey Devils (2006–2021)
Following the conclusion of North Dakota’s season, Zajac signed an entry-level contract with the Devils, foregoing his final two collegiate seasons. He appeared in two games for Albany River Rats, New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, registering one assist and two penalty minutes. Initially considered an underdog for a roster spot, Zajac secured a position for the Devils’ 2006–07 season opener and netted his first NHL goal in just his second game against the Dallas Stars. He centered New Jersey’s second line alongside Zach Parise and veteran Jamie Langenbrunner, forming the "ZZ Pop(s)" line—named after Zajac and Parise’s initials combined with Langenbrunner’s veteran presence. Apart from a brief leg injury that sidelined him for two games—the only missed contests early in his career—Zajac made significant contributions including a three-assist performance versus Ottawa and his first multi-goal NHL game against Philadelphia. He completed his rookie campaign with 17 goals and 25 assists (42 points), ranking seventh among NHL rookies and within Devils players. During the 2007 playoffs, he registered multiple assists and scored his inaugural postseason goal, assisting New Jersey’s series win over Tampa Bay before elimination by Ottawa. He finished tenth in Calder Trophy voting and earned the Devils’ Rookie of the Year fan award.
In his second season (2007–08), Zajac maintained his role centering the second line with Parise; Brian Gionta temporarily replaced Langenbrunner due to injury. Midway through the season, Zajac advanced to center New Jersey’s top line alongside Gionta and Patrik Eliáš, resulting in increased power play responsibilities. Despite recording six multi-point games, his overall production declined to 14 goals and 20 assists. The Devils were eliminated early in the playoffs by the New York Rangers.
Entering 2008–09, Zajac emerged as New Jersey’s primary center with the ZZ Pop line spearheading offensive efforts. He attributed enhanced confidence to strong chemistry with Parise and Langenbrunner. That season marked career highs for him: 20 goals, 42 assists, totaling 62 points, while leading the team with a +33 plus-minus rating (fourth-best league-wide). Combined, the trio amassed 94 goals and 225 points. Additionally, Zajac improved his faceoff win percentage to 53.1%. However, New Jersey fell in the first playoff round to Carolina.
During the 2009 off-season, Zajac inked a multi-year extension with New Jersey that avoided arbitration. The following season (2009–10), he achieved personal milestones including his 100th assist, 200th point, and participation in his 300th game. He scored his first overtime goal while matching career-high assist totals and elevating goals scored to 25 and overall points to 67. The ZZ Pop line continued as team scoring leaders with Parise at the forefront; meanwhile, Zajac led faceoff wins at a rate of 52.9%.
For the 2010–11 campaign, after acquiring Ilya Kovalchuk who replaced Langenbrunner on New Jersey’s top line forming the "ZIP Line," chemistry challenges arose prompting line adjustments. Parise's meniscus injury further affected team dynamics. Despite frequent changes among linemates—including Kovalchuk, Dainius Zubrus, Mike Rupp, David Clarkson, Patrik Eliáš, and Mattias Tedenby—Zajac enhanced his faceoff skills under Assistant Coach Adam Oates’ guidance. Following mid-season coaching changes, Zajac’s offensive output improved during a stretch of 20 games playing alongside Kovalchuk and rookie Nick Palmieri. On March 15, he matched Ken Daneyko's franchise record for consecutive games played at 388, surpassing it in the subsequent game. Although New Jersey missed postseason qualification that year, Zajac received their Unsung Hero accolade.
On April 24, 2012, Zajac netted an overtime goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Florida Panthers to force a decisive Game 7 victory which New Jersey secured in double overtime.
On January 16, 2013, he signed an eight-year extension worth $46 million with New Jersey.
On March 31, 2014, Zajac recorded his first career hat-trick during a contest against Florida.
The Devils returned to postseason action in the 2017–18 season for the first time in six years; however, Zajac's participation was limited due to a pectoral injury requiring surgical intervention.
On February 21, 2021, Zajac reached a milestone playing his 1,000th game for New Jersey; shortly afterward on March 30 he scored his 200th career goal facing off against the Boston Bruins.
New York Islanders (2021)
In the pandemic-affected 2020–21 campaign, during the concluding year of his eight-year deal and 15th season with the Devils, Zajac was traded to the New York Islanders on April 7, 2021. This transaction involved Kyle Palmieri and returned a first-round selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft, along with forwards A. J. Greer and Mason Jobst.
Retirement
Zajac officially retired by signing a one-day contract with the Devils on September 20, 2021. He received recognition at a Devils home game versus the Winnipeg Jets on March 10, 2022, commemorating his milestone of 1,000 games played with the franchise and participating in a ceremonial puck drop.
International play
Zajac wore the jersey for Team Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Championship, where he helped secure a silver medal after appearing in five matches. At the 2011 IIHF World Championship, he was an alternate captain, tallying one goal and two assists over seven contests as Canada finished fifth overall.
Playing style
Known for his adaptability, Zajac excels in both power-play situations and penalty kills. Former head coach Jacques Lemaire praised him as "the most complete player" on the roster. When paired alongside Parise, Zajac’s defensive diligence was credited with boosting Parise's offensive production.
Personal life
Zajac comes from a hockey family; his father played for the University of Denver, and his three brothers—Darcy, Kelly, and Nolan—also pursued careers in ice hockey. In 2009, he married Nicole Hekle, who captained the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey squad. Together, they have three children.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | St. James Canadians | MJHL | 63 | 19 | 36 | 55 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Salmon Arm Silverbacks | BCHL | 59 | 16 | 36 | 52 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Salmon Arm Silverbacks | BCHL | 59 | 43 | 69 | 112 | 110 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 10 | ||
| 2004–05 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 43 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 45 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 80 | 17 | 25 | 42 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 82 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 82 | 20 | 42 | 62 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2009–10 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 82 | 25 | 42 | 67 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 82 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 48 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 80 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 74 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 74 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 80 | 14 | 31 | 45 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 63 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 80 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 69 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 28 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2020–21 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 33 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 6 | |||||||
| 2020–21 | New York Islanders | NHL | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |||||||
| 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||
| NHL totals | 1,037 | 203 | 349 | 552 | 344 | 71 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 26 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Tournament | Outcome | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Canada | WC | Template:Silver2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2011 | Canada | WC | 5th place | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Senior career totals | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| BCHL | ||
| BCHL Interior Division Most Valuable Player | 2004 | |
| BCHL All-Star Game participant | 2004 | |
| College | ||
| WCHA All-Rookie Team | 2004–05 | |
| Selected to the All-NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2005 | |
| New Jersey Devils | ||
| Fan Club Rookie of the Year Award | 2007 | |
| Recognized as Unsung Hero | 2011 | |