Ottawa Senators forward Curtis Lazar has been involved in some trade rumors which he is aware of, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
14 days remain until the NHL trade deadline, and Senators’ GM Pierre Dorion publicly made his desire to add more pieces to the offense to help them in their possible playoff run this season known. Adding more depth to the offense means possibly trading away Lazar to achieve that goal. Lazar’s agent reportedly is meeting with Dorion at some point this weekend to discuss the future of Lazar, per the Ottawa Sun. The 22-year-old forward doesn’t seem worried about the meeting.
“[Barry, Lazar’s Agent] wants to try and find a solution that will help me out; it’s nothing against Ottawa or the Senators because I love playing here,” Lazar said Thursday. “My main focus lately has been how to get back into the lineup. I haven’t thought about anything else; you people make with it what you want but, for myself, it’s one day at a time.”
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However, despite his frustration with the media and his carefree facade, he does enjoy being in Ottawa.
“The bottom line is I’m an Ottawa Senator and want to be an Ottawa Senator,” said Lazar.
The past five of seven games, Lazar has been a healthy scratch, not getting to see the ice too much. The Senators are standing firm at second place in the Atlantic Division, six points behind the Montreal Canadians, who are also four games ahead. Is being healthy scratched a sign that his career is ending with Ottawa? Lazar is nearing the end of his three-year contract with the Senators, which he signed on Sept. 17, 2013.
Being mentally strong and motivated is what seemed to keep the young, hopeful forward going.
“Mental strength and toughness is definitely a big part of what I’ve had to focus on this season,” Lazar said. “I can truthfully say when I first got called up this season and wasn’t getting much of a look, it did affect me and I became a little bitter and sour but that didn’t help me.”
The future is uncertain for Curtis Lazar; however, he will keep doing his thing and only time will reveal what his future in the NHL holds.