Travis Zajac Should Remain New Jersey Devils’ Top-Line Center For Now

By Nick Villano @nick_villano on October 31, 2014

The New Jersey Devils have been getting offense from everywhere this season. Of the 20 players who dressed for at least four games, all but four of them have lit the lamp. They are ranked ninth in league in scoring. That is very contrary to last year’s team, which was ranked 28th in scoring on the season.

One player who hasn’t been scoring is top-line center Travis Zajac. He only has one goal and three assists on the season. Despite adding total scoring threat Michael Cammalleri to his line, it hasn’t caused a spark for him personally.

It seems like any average center should excel when they are playing in between Cammalleri and the ageless Jaromir Jagr, but Zajac has not. Even last season, when Jagr was the most dominant player on the team, he was never thought of as a top-level center. When you play with someone the caliber of Jagr on a nightly basis, you have to record more than 48 points in 80 games.

What can the Devils do if they were to choose to go someplace different? The obvious choice is Adam Henrique, but the problem is he has done so much to help Michael Ryder and Ryane Clowe progress this season. Moving him to the top line could make them both regress back to where they were last season. They were coming into this season as total busts. Now they are crucial parts to a winning team, as Ryder showed with his goal to tie the game with less than four minutes left against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Devils aren’t going to drop Zajac for now. He was sent down in the lineup mid-game, but that was most likely to put a fire under his behind. Jagr talks all the time about how much he enjoys playing with Zajac, so they aren’t going to change that up on him. Zajac just needs to start playing up to his massive contract he signed immediately after the lockout ended. The Devils need him to be a top-line center so they can use Henrique as the man on the second or third line. Head coach Peter DeBoer will have to work him harder, but he will eventually show he deserves to be on the line.

Nick Villano is the New Jersey Devils writer for Rant Sports.  He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content.  You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.