Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Travis Zajac’s injury recovery window remains unclear; rehab could take up to six months

Jamie Benn, Travis Zajac

New Jersey Devils’ Travis Zajac (19) makes off with the loose puck after Dallas Stars’ Jamie Benn (14) was knocked to the ice in the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

AP

Initial reports indicated that underrated New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac’s Achilles tear would sideline him for about three months, which would mean that he might only miss a month or two of the 2011-12 season. It’s possible that still might be the case, but Tom Gulitti reports that Zajac’s window of recovery could be quite a bit murkier.

Zajac discussed the rehab process with players who suffered similar injuries and found that while some people take about three months to recover, other need four or even up to six months to return to action. The 26 year old forward seems like he’s going to take a measured approach to the situation, even if the top-heavy Devils could suffer significantly from losing their top pivot for an extended amount of time.

He discussed the injury situation and how hard it will be to sit back and watch training camp and other activities he once took for granted in his earlier years.

“It hasn’t really sunk in too much yet that I won’t be there for camp and I won’t be around for exhibition (games) and even the start of the season,” Zajac said this afternoon in his first interview since he was injured. “I think once I get to Jersey and see some guys playing then it will be a lot tougher. That I’m away from it now is probably a good thing because I know if I was around the rink right now I would probably be pushing myself to do something and trying to get back quicker than I probably should.”

(snip)

“It depends on how hard I push it and how my body reacts to everything,” he said. “From what I hear, that (taking four to six months) could happen, but, hopefully, I’m on the lower end of the time frame. We’ll see. I’m definitely not going to rush back and ruin the rest of the year by coming back too early.”


Hopefully Zajac backs up his words about being careful, because it will be unusual for the center to miss being in the lineup. He played all 82 regular season games during the last four seasons and played in 80 contests during his rookie year in 2006-07. After putting up 62 points in 07-08 and 67 in 09-10, Zajac is probably eager to show that his disappointing 10-11 season (13 goals and 44 points) was an unusual down year.

That eagerness could be dangerous if he doesn’t use the right amount of caution, though.

(H/T to Rotoworld.)