13 replies to this topic

[kmart890]

via @NHLDevils

GM Lou Lamoriello announces Travis Zajac has been re-signed to a long-term contract.

[Erik C.]

Details from F&I

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello announced this afternoon that the team has signed center Travis Zajac to a long-term contract extension.

Lamoriello wouldn’t announce the terms other than to say, its “long enough to keep him a Devil”, but it is an eight-year deal for $46 million (an average/salary cap hit of $5.75 million per season). The eight years is the longest allowable under the new CBA for a player re-signing with his team. Players signing with a new team can sign for up to seven years.

Zajac was scheduled to make $4.8 million this season (that number will be pro-rated for 48 games) in the final year of a four-year, $15.55 million contract he signed as a restricted free agent in 2009.

Lamoriello said the sides were working on the extension for Zajac before the lockout began and completed it this week.

Link

Lou's full of surprises, as usual. Especially here; it's rare for him to do something like this.

[kmart890]

I did not expect this news, especially before the season started. I am extremely excited about this.

[scottmerms]

So happy about this. Pretty good deal as well.

[scottmerms]

The breakdown: $3.5M, $5M, $6.5M, $6.5M, $6.5M, $6.5M, $5.75M, $5.75M


https://twitter.com/...646368047570945

[HockeyKate30]

Sweetness!

[damned]

OK, I'll be that guy.

That's a horrible contract!! They just paid Zajac like he was one of the Sedins or Zetterberg. Looks like a knee jerk reaction to not wanting to lose another player like they did with Parise this past summer.

[kmart890]

OK, I'll be that guy.

That's a horrible contract!! They just paid Zajac like he was one of the Sedins or Zetterberg. Looks like a knee jerk reaction to not wanting to lose another player like they did with Parise this past summer.

I've been seeing a lot of that around.

Zajac is the Devils' number 1 Center, so he pretty much is our Henrik Sedin. He's been increasing his point output and can easily get 60+ points playing with Kovalchuk. I think it's a pretty fair price for him.

[Erik C.]

If you're gonna use a superstar to use as a measuring stick for Zajac, you should have used Datsyuk because he's a better defensive player than Sedin is, and so is Zajac.

[Erik C.]

Travis Zajac was understandably excited today about the eight-year, $46 million contract extension he signed with the Devils. With one year left on his current contract, that means he’ll be in New Jersey if he wants (he has a full no-trade clause) through the 2020-21 season.

Being a long-term Devil was what he wanted most of all.

“It’s something I take pride in,” the 27-year-old center said. “I love wearing this logo on my chest. It means a lot to me. The environment that (GM)Lou (Lamoriello) has created here, it’s a winning culture and I want to continue to be part of that and continue to help out in any way possible.”

Devils coach Pete DeBoer was clearly happy to know his No. 1 center is not going anywhere for nearly a decade.

“It’s great news,” DeBoer said. “He’s such a prototypical New Jersey Devil. He’s a big, strong guy. He plays the right way. He plays both ends of the rink and centermen like that are very hard to find. So, it’s nice that he got rewarded and he deserves it.”

Lamoriello and Zajac’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, began working on the contract before the lockout began, but “just ran out of time,” Zajac said.

“Obviously, there were other circumstances that probably were bigger than me getting a deal done,” he said.

Now, he becomes the first player to re-sign with his team for the eight-year maximum allowed under the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed on Saturday.

“It’s humbling that Lou thinks that way about me, that he wants me here in this organization for eight more years,” Zajac said. “I started my career here and he’s done everything for me to try and have success here and become a better player. So, I just wanted to continue that and have a chance to win.”

From F&I

[kmart890]

If you're gonna use a superstar to use as a measuring stick for Zajac, you should have used Datsyuk because he's a better defensive player than Sedin is, and so is Zajac.

A better choice indeed. I only said Sedin since he was the one mentioned.

[Erik C.]

Fair enough. Just consider the statement not directed as just to you then, you know?

[damned]

He may be the Devils first line center today, but that doesn't mean he is a first line center.

I just feel that contract is one that could look just OK 3 years from now, but it could also look REALLY bad.

[scottmerms]

You guys have the right team but the wrong center. Zajac is a pretty similar player to Ryan Kesler who's making $5 mil for the next 4 years. an extra $750k because we have Zajac take on a larger role seems right to me.

And both of them couldve gotten way more in the open market if they wanted