Travis Zajac

[Jason MacIsaac]

I just love to rant about him After scoring 2 goals in the game last night vs Canisius. Travis now has 11 goals in 21 games along with 7 assists. For a freshman what type of accomplishment would it be to get 20 goals in a season?

For people that have been watching him all year, what does he do especially well, what is he poor at and who does he resemble?

For those same people, what type of stats would you expect in his 2nd season? Thank You.

Click to read more...

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

I just love to rant about him After scoring 2 goals in the game last night vs Canisius. Travis now has 11 goals in 21 games along with 7 assists. For a freshman what type of accomplishment would it be to get 20 goals in a season?

For people that have been watching him all year, what does he do especially well, what is he poor at and who does he resemble?

For those same people, what type of stats would you expect in his 2nd season? Thank You.

20 goals for a freshman is excellent. I wouldn't put to much stock in 2 goals against Canisius but then I checked it out, looks like he's also scored well against some big time teams (Minnesota, Boston College) Comparing him to some other first rounders from the WCHA, Zach Parise had 26 goals his freshman year and Dany Heatley had 28.

 

[CH Wizard]

Wow ! I didn't expected that much from him as a freshman.He's suprising many's for sure.

I didn't watched him play yet.I hope I'll be able to watch him in the weeks to come.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

20 goals for a freshman is excellent. I wouldn't put to much stock in 2 goals against Canisius but then I checked it out, looks like he's also scored well against some big time teams (Minnesota, Boston College) Comparing him to some other first rounders from the WCHA, Zach Parise had 26 goals his freshman year and Dany Heatley had 28.

Vanek....cough cough 31....lol that is amazing.

I wish Parise had a good goal scorer on his wing. He is a better playmaker then he is a goal scorer. If Bochenski stayed in college and played on his wing that would be fun to see.

 

[Form and Substance]

It all depends on houw many games he's slated to play. Right now he's at about a goal every two games, if he plays 40 then he's on pace for a 20 goal season, if he plays 30 then no.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

It all depends on houw many games he's slated to play. Right now he's at about a goal every two games, if he plays 40 then he's on pace for a 20 goal season, if he plays 30 then no.

UND allways plays around 45 and he isn't representing anyone this year so he should play in them all "knock on wood" if he doesn't get injured.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Zajac made the right decision to go to College a year late. Stepping in as a 19 year old is certainly easier then going in as an 18 year old. It looks like the extra year down in Salmon Arm has helped him this year.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Zajac made the right decision to go to College a year late. Stepping in as a 19 year old is certainly easier then going in as an 18 year old. It looks like the extra year down in Salmon Arm has helped him this year.

Nice, I know you are trying to dismiss what Zajac has done since he is a year older then your boy Chucko. Just to clear myself, Zajac and Chucko both came from the same enviroment/league and are both around the same physical dimentions....it is the same for both of them.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Nice, I know you are trying to dismiss what Zajac has done since he is a year older then your boy Chucko. Just to clear myself, Zajac and Chucko both came from the same enviroment/league and are both around the same physical dimentions....it is the same for both of them.

I am not trying to dismiss anything, please don't pretend I am.

Clearly being a year older helps when entering College. It is an extra year he had to refine his game in Salmon Arm. I don't know why you have a problem with that.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I am not trying to dismiss anything, please don't pretend I am.

Clearly being a year older helps when entering College. It is an extra year he had to refine his game in Salmon Arm. I don't know why you have a problem with that.

Then why bring up the age factor?

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Then why bring up the age factor?

Because he has the ability to put up better numbers as a 19 year old freshmen then an 18 year old freshmen. I think that is pretty obvious. I said Zajac made the right decision in putting College off for a year and refining his game down in Salmon Arm instead of trying out College as an 18 year old. He apparently wasn't ready for College when he was 18 so he waited, it looks like a good desicion.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Then why bring up the age factor?

It's a big thing in the NCAA Jason. Many freshman at the NCAA level are out of USHL and they don't arrive until they're age 20 and they come in immedietly and put up very good numbers because they're a year or two matured. It's just like comparing Joe Fallon a guy who I liked alot coming into the draft last year (wasn't drafted) who is now doing great for Vermont, to Corey Schneider a very young 18 year old straite out of High School. Both have great numbers but I would never say that Fallon is the goaltender Schneider well be in a couple years.

Heck, I called out Joe Pavelski's name at the 2003 draft saying we stole him after watching him in Waterloo out of the USHL, yet he stayed a year later in the USHL and now he's lighting up the NCAA as a freshman, Yet I wouldn't say he is the nearly the prospect that a younger freshman who hasn't produced as well, Daniel Bertram.

Age is a big factor in the NCAA when it comes to arriving as a freshman IMO.

 

[firstroundbust]

zajac spirko stafford = scary line

 

[SpaceGhost79]

Because he has the ability to put up better numbers as a 19 year old freshmen then an 18 year old freshmen. I think that is pretty obvious. I said Zajac made the right decision in putting College off for a year and refining his game down in Salmon Arm instead of trying out College as an 18 year old. He apparently wasn't ready for College when he was 18 so he waited, it looks like a good desicion.

T.J. Hensick entered college as a 17 year old and led Michigan with 46 points last year. I believe he was one of, if not THE, youngest player in Division I college hockey last season. I guess that makes him Superman I'll hold off judging Zajac until I actually see him play and see how his stats are in a year or two.

BCHL players are kind of hard to figure out. A lot of players there seem to put up some huge numbers, but their success there doesn't seem to transfer over to college as much as thought.

As a Michigan follower, the Wolverines have had their fair share of BCHL players come through, including current Wolverines Milan Gajic, Andrew Ebbett, and Jeff Tambellini. All three were big scorers in the BCHL, they entered college at 20, 19, and 18 years old respectively. But its been the youngest, Tambellini, who has seen the most success, followed by Ebbett, and Gajic (though Gajic is starting to finally have the season we all thought he was capable of a few years ago this year, his senior year).

Michigan's most talented, highest scoring players over the past handful of years have been their youngest players. I don't think age makes as much difference in college. Younger guys may make more rookie mistakes, but they are certainly capable of putting up the points.

 

[ZombieMatt]

Then why bring up the age factor?

Age is an enormous factor at every level, you know that. What a 19 year old does in the Q is less impressive than the same numbers produced by an 18 year old, regardless of how long they've spent in the league.

This is not to say Zajac's play has not been great. It has been. But its important to note that he's a year older than the average freshman, and that DOES play a big role in your development.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Age is an enormous factor at every level, you know that. What a 19 year old does in the Q is less impressive than the same numbers produced by an 18 year old, regardless of how long they've spent in the league.

This is not to say Zajac's play has not been great. It has been. But its important to note that he's a year older than the average freshman, and that DOES play a big role in your development.

I agree with the case for a Q player....but that isn't the case here. Zajac didn't play last year in the NCAA, he played it in the BCHL. A similar case would be Bergeron at 18 playing in the NHL and say Stewart playing in the NHL at 19. Would age mean all that much between the stats both players put up?

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

zajac spirko stafford = scary line

The thing that bothers me, Stafford and Spirko aren't all that great of finishers. Zajac would work better with someone to feed the **** to, to take a little pressure of himself in the offensive zone.

 

[MN_Gopher]

The one thing i liked about Zajac when he played the gophers is he drove to the net. Came in from a wing and got a redirection goal. I always like when playmakers have the smarts to go to the net when the situation calls for it. I would say 20 goals is good. And as the age thing goes. Many other freshman came from the U18 program and from USHL. Most USHL guys are either HS seniors or most stay for another year and enter college as 19 year olds. So 19 i would think is more of a norm than 18 year olds. Not sure though. Also not sure how BCHL compares to USHL or U18 program.

 

[DownFromNJ]

Judging by the performance from everyone who has seen him, what player would you project him to be?

 

[Undsioux130]

First, It was only Canisius. No offense to them, but they aren't the strongest team. Seen everyone of his games this year, and he is a presence out there. He keeps up with the best of them out there, and when he works with his linemates, they make magic. They control the play when they get going, and the points just keep flowing in for them.