Devils Place F Travis Zajac On IR; Sign Scott Gomez To 1-Year Deal
The New Jersey Devils have placed forward Travis Zajac on injured reserve with a lower-body injury to make room for signing training camp try-out Scott Gomez to a one-year deal.
The Scott Gomez experiment in New Jersey has finally been given the green light.
With the slew on injuries in New Jersey, the Devils were forced to place Travis Zajac on injured reserve so they could free up a roster spot. That roster spot will be filled by a familiar name that I’m sure a lot of Devils fans probably aren’t too thrilled about. Scott Gomez was signed to a one-year deal on Monday to help fill the void at center.
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Zajac left Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings early in the third period and did not return. Adam Henrique also left the game with an upper-body injury late in the second. With both players out, it leaves the Devils with not very many options at center. At least, any good ones.
Patrik Elias can help out at the center position, but after that there aren’t very many good options. There’s Jacob Josefson who is a natural center, but not ready to take on top line minutes. Dainus Zubrus and Mike Cammalleri have both played center at times, but are better utilized on the wing.
With Zajac being placed on injured reserve, Henrique banged up and Martin Havlat seemingly out again, Lou Lamoriello had no choice but to sign Gomez. Henrique did make the trip to Pittsburgh with the team for the game against the Penguins Tuesday night, but it seems like he will be a game-time decision on whether he will dress or not.
With the injuries piling on for the New Jersey Devils, Gomez may have to step right in to the thick of things.