5 Questions With Devils Forward Curtis Lazar
A special preview of the type of content you can expect with a premium subscription to the THW New Jersey Devils Substack
Welcome to the first THW New Jersey Devils Substack Premium newsletter.
Shortly, premium posts like this one will only be available to paid subscribers of THW Substack. Access all of The Hockey Writers’ premium content, including exclusive subscriber-only reports, analysis, long-form commentary, podcasts, video recaps, and much more… all with one subscription!
In today’s edition, we give you an exclusive look into Devils forward Curtis Lazar. At last season’s trade deadline, the Devils acquired Lazar from the Vancouver Canucks to help bolster their forward depth. The Lazar acquisition was overshadowed by the splashier trade involving Timo Meier, but he has become a vital part of the team and a fan favorite.
Lazar got off to a rough start in New Jersey, first missing time acquiring a Visa, then having to deal with leaving behind in Vancouver, a pregnant wife on bed rest, and a toddler. Then he suffered two serious knee injuries, and it wasn’t until the playoffs that he could make his mark on the team, scoring a goal in Madison Square Garden.
This season, Lazar has been the Devils’ jack of all trades. The ten-year veteran, who has spent most of his career grinding out shifts in the bottom six, joked in preseason that his goal for the year was to be included on the first power play unit. While that hasn’t happened, Lazar’s speed and physicality have landed him a spot on all four lines throughout the season. He was an invaluable player during the lengthy absence of Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.
One of the most affable players on the roster, Lazar is known by many for being the player who ate a hamburger off the ice when he was a Senator. Check out the clip below.
He has yet to eat any food off the ice in New Jersey, but he was kind enough to sit down with The Hockey Writers to answer our five questions. This is the first in a series that will run all season for our premium subscribers. If there are questions you would like to see posed to some of the Devils, drop them in the comments below.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Devils Substack with your friends and family so they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest. It makes a great last-minute Christmas gift for the Devils fans in your life.
Now on to the good stuff….
FIVE QUESTIONS WITH CURTIS LAZAR
THW: Are you ready for Five Questions with Curtis Lazar?
CL: For sure.
THW: Favorite road city?
CL: I’d have to say Vancouver.
THW: That was a home city also.
CL: Yeah, a home city. Close to home. I see friends everywhere. The family always comes down.
THW: Favorite Pre-Game Meal?
CL: Simple, not exciting. Penne Pasta with vodka sauce and salmon.
THW: Favorite Player Growing Up?
CL: Joe Sakic, then when he retired, Ryan Getzlaf.
THW: So no Vancouver guys?
CL: I mean, I loved watching them play, loved the players, but I like having other guys.
THW: You grew up out there, in BC (British Columbia), right?
CL: Yeah. West Coast Express. I liked Todd Bertuzzi a lot. Loved watching that guy drive the net.
THW: Who Did You Model Your Game After?
CL: I modeled my game after Patrice Bergeron. I want to be kind of that utility tool plays the game hard but both ends. Being his teammate was pretty cool too, just a model person and model hockey player
THW: Favorite Thing About New Jersey?
CL: Where do you begin? The food, just the city vibe. I mean my son loves going out seeing the airplanes all the air traffic, the proximity to New York City, there's always something to do in this neck of the woods.
Stay tuned for more 5 Questions with Devils players in the weeks to come, the best way to make sure you don’t miss any of our premium content is to click on the subscribe button below.