When Curtis Lazar skated onto the ice at Prudential Center on April 16, 2025, to applause and the Tiësto and Black Eyed Peas version of "Pump It" blaring over the speakers, he knew it was likely his final time as a member of the New Jersey Devils.
"The writing was kind of on the wall, knowing that I would be moving on," Lazar said in a phone interview with The Hockey News on Friday.
So during warmups, he did what he always has done, skated to the glass near the Zamboni entrance to greet his wife, Reanne, and two young sons, Owen and Cayden, who were usually sporting some kind of Devils apparel.
"The best part of being a professional athlete is including them," he said. "My sons are so diehard with the Devils, so what is going through my mind is how am I going to explain to them that we are going to a new city and they are going to be cheering for a new team, and be around different players. It kind of hit differently."
As the regular season transitioned into the playoffs, Lazar spent his days working with the club's "Black Aces," who are the players from the Utica Comets (AHL), who were added to the playoff roster. Unfortunately, he did not appear in a postseason game when the Devils played the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1.
"Obviously, I didn't play in the playoffs, and I am still a little upset about that," Lazar candidly shared. "It is what it is, I wish I could have helped. I know I could have contributed. I wasn't 100 percent, but when it comes to the playoffs, I am going to leave it all on the ice.
"I love playing at the Prudential Center," he continued. "I tried to just soak in those final games that I had. The fans are awesome, and they have supported me since day one, which I will always appreciate and bring with me."
Lazar has experienced free agency before, signing as an unrestricted free agent in Buffalo in 2019 and Vancouver in 2022. Still, the market is always evolving, and last week was a new experience.
"I kind of know the ins and outs of it, but this year, I think everyone has seen that this is a little bit of a different market," he explained. "After the year that I had, I didn't really have much to hang my hat on."
Injuries became the storyline for the 30-year-old, who was limited to 48 games and dealt with a lingering knee injury that affected his on-ice performance. By the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign, he had five points (two goals, three assists).
"I was just looking for an opportunity," he said. "A chance to go and play somewhere, and I couldn't be too picky."
Lazar underwent a left knee procedure on Oct. 31, 2025. As he previously shared, his knee brace didn't fit properly, and as the dissolvable screws that were inserted began to shrink, they rattled around his bone, leading to inflammation.
"I actually had to get another surgery after the season," Lazar revealed. "Nobody really knows about that, but I had to get my body right."
The versatile forward is now fully healthy and is a member of the Edmonton Oilers. On the second day of free agency, Lazar signed a one-year, $775,000 contract. As he told Derek Van Diest of NHL.com, he has familiarity with both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
While he knew he couldn't be overly selective, Lazar shared that Edmonton was an organization he had his eye on.
As the happy-go-lucky Canadian said, "Everything happens for a reason."
Lazar won a Memorial Cup as a member of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL)
"I showed up there, as a 15-year-old kid starting out my hockey journey just by myself, not knowing what the future had in store," he said. "Now I have an opportunity to come back and share that city with my wife and kids. It is going to be a lot of fun."
While the focus is on the future and an opportunity to rediscover his game, the Lazar family will always have a soft spot for New Jersey.
"I talked to (Fitzgerald) in my exit meeting about how great a place it is to play," Lazar said. "I still think it is a bit of an unknown for players out there. You don't realize how good it is until you are in that dressing room and you call this place home. I am super happy it was a part of my journey.
"We talked about the trade (that brought me here) and how it went down," he continued. "(Fitzgerald) said how it paid dividends for him, and I thanked him for taking that chance on me and allowing me to spread my wings a bit and show that I can be an effective player in this league."
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