Ever since Travis Zajac returned from an offseason torn Achilles tendon, things have gone slowly for him. Zajac played in just eight games before being shelved again with Achilles issues and hasn’t gotten a sniff at returning to action since being shutdown on January 10.
Now Devils GM Lou Lamoriello tells Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice that Zajac will be reevaluated by his doctor in Winnipeg next week. Gulitti reports that the plan all along for Zajac was to be cleared by his doctor first before getting back to exercising.
Should Zajac be cleared and gets to start working out again, the Devils will be hopeful for his return as they’ve been going without him and Adam Henrique (groin) of late and have had go with Patrik Elias and Dainius Zubrus as their top two centers. While the Devils have done well of late, getting their No. 1 center back for a run at the playoffs would be understandably huge.
If Zajac is still having troubles, however, Lamoriello may have to sniff around for an affordable playmaking center at the deadline.