On Sunday afternoon, New Jersey Devils forward and fan favorite Curtis Lazar sat at his stall after his final practice in New Jersey before boarding a plane for Prague, Czechia, to begin his 11th season in the NHL.
It has been quite the journey for the 29-year-old who was a first-round draft pick.
After practice, Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News sat with Lazar and showed him a photo of the two of them from the day he was drafted at Prudential Center in 2013.
Over the summer, I found this photo from the day #NJDevils Curtis Lazar was drafted. Today, I showed him, and we had a good laugh. I loved what he said about his NHL journey and will share a story later.
One of the first things he said?
“We age well.” Bless his heart. pic.twitter.com/Rm2d9h2voQ— Kristy Flannery (@InStilettos_NHL) September 29, 2024
The Hockey News asked Lazar about his thoughts on his journey from that photo to now as he gears up for his 525th game in the NHL.
“In all honesty, I am extremely proud of myself for the way that I have conducted the league and the hurdles that have come my way,” Lazar said. “I think everyone envisioned me completely different, but for me to still be here, I think, a pretty vital part of the team in a different regard, and being able to adapt, I am proud of myself. I am (proud) every single day for still being around playing my best hockey now and knowing I am still not done.”
Lazar played 88 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Binghamton Senators, Stockton Heat, and Rochester Americans throughout his professional career. He has been traded three times, and in the NHL, he played for the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and Devils.
Offensively, his best season was 2023-24 when he earned a career-high 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 71 games. He will begin this season centering the fourth line with Paul Cotter and Nathan Bastian on his wings.
The trio has been one of the bright spots in the preseason, as the line showed great promise. Think of the BMW Line with a twist.
Through the years’ ups and downs, Lazar has remained true to who he is and has found a home in New Jersey. His journey serves as a reminder to give yourself grace and embrace the highs and lows because each is an integral part of the ride. Things might not go exactly to plan, but that does not mean you should ever lose hope or doubt yourself.
Lazar and his teammates will board the team plane to Europe on Sunday night. Their first game of the 2024-25 season is scheduled for Oct. 4 against the Buffalo Sabres.
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Related: The Line Curtis Lazar Contributed to the Devils 2024-25 Schedule Release Video
