March 28, 2007
by Tom Borrelli, Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
When Nenad Gajic left the University of Nebraska-Omaha hockey program last fall, it was the end of one dream but the beginning of another.
Gajic had spent 19 years of his young life pursuing the same goal of many fellow Canadians -- making a life for himself by playing hockey.
"It was the toughest decision I've had to make in my life so far," said Gajic. "To think that hockey was over that quick made it pretty tough for me at first."
The 23-year-old Gajic -- his full name is pronounced nuh-NAD GUYTCH -- wasn't just concerned for himself. His older brother Milan had played for Michigan before transferring to UNO. Nenad also became a hockey Maverick after starting his career somewhere else, spending his first two seasons at Michigan State.
"It wasn't just me that had put 19 years into hockey, it was my family as well," said Nenad, who is 6-foot and 195 pounds. "That was the biggest thing I was worried about, that it (the family's sacrifices) had all gone for nothing. So for the first two weeks to a month after I made the decision, I was pretty nervous and still questioning myself."
After tallying two goals and five assists for seven points in eight games as a center at UNO, Gajic decided to pursue his other love -- lacrosse. Having grown up in Burnaby, British Columbia, Gajic was very familiar with the legendary Hall of Fame coach of the Colorado Mammoth, Gary Gait.
As a kid, Gajic had entertained fantasies of somebody becoming the next Gary or Paul Gait, also B.C. natives from Victoria, just an hour-and-a-half ferry ride from Burnaby. That was, of course, when Gajic wasn't hoping to become the next Wayne Gretzky or Pavel Bure.
"It's every kid's dream, especially in Canada, to grow up to play pro hockey," said Gajic, who finished his college hockey career with six goals, 13 assists and 19 points in 48 games. "But the older you get, you sort of get an idea of what your odds are. I think that was a big part of my decision. I didn't see myself getting to the next level anytime soon, so I thought maybe I'd try something new."
That would be Mammoth training camp.
Gajic had been selected in the fourth round of the 2004 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft by the San Jose Stealth, but became a free agent after sitting out two seasons to pursue his hockey career.
He has become one of the Mammoth's most effective transition players, appearing in all 12 games with seven goals, 22 assists, 29 points and 75 loose balls -- which rank second on the team to Josh Sims' 104. More importantly, Gajic's emergence has helped Colorado ease the sting of losing veterans Jay Jalbert, Chris Gill and Dan Stroup from last year's championship team.
"Guys like him have definitely been key to being able to get through the tough times, such as when we've had starters injured," said Gary Gait, whose team is 10-2 and clinched a playoff spot earlier than any other squad since the NLL went to a 16-game format in 2002. "He was very excited about getting a chance to play lacrosse again. He's stepped in and brought what we expected -- consistent, quality play, making smart decisions and not many mistakes. We're very happy with him."
It's not like Gajic had abandoned lacrosse completely before joining the Mammoth. Last summer, he played in 14 games with the New Westminster Senior Salmonbellies of the Western Lacrosse Association, tallying 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points, then turned it up in the playoffs with a 5-11-16 bender in just eight games.
"In Burnaby, he went to three or four Minto [Cups] in a row," said Buffalo Bandits coach Darris Kilgour. "He brings them a lot of experience plus a winning attitude. Out there he doesn't try to do too much, just what he's capable of. He doesn't carry the ball too much and fits in real well."
Gajic said many of the Mammoth's veteran players helped him feel welcome from the beginning of training camp.
"From day one, our captains like Prouter [Gavin Prout] and [Jamie] Hanford were coming right up to rookies and giving us all a big hug, making us right at home," said Gajic. "That made it really easy on the rookies especially. And I've been fortunate enough to have veterans on my squad like Patty Coyle giving me all kinds of little tips. It helps big time, because sometimes out here, rookies can be just lost, especially against a guy like [Buffalo's career scoring leader] John Tavares."
Gajic, a speech communication major who remained at UNO to complete his degree requirements, didn't come away from college hockey empty-handed.
The Mammoth leads the league in average home attendance, attracting 16,720 per home game to Denver's Pepsi Center. His time in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association readied him for the pressures of all those eyeballs in the stands.
The physical rigors of college hockey may have also provided a huge assist in his development as an NLL regular.
"Growing up playing lacrosse I was mostly an offensive player," said Gajic. "But when you get older in hockey, especially at the college level, you really have to pick up the defensive responsibilities, too. As I got into the higher levels of both hockey and lacrosse, defense became a bigger part of the game. So I think college hockey has definitely helped me become an even more valuable lacrosse player."
So does his coach.
"Any time you go to college and play a sport, you learn a lot about how to utilize your time, how to prepare, how to work, how to deal with almost anything," said Gait, who spent four All-American seasons at Syracuse University. "It's unquestionably a benefit, especially as a maturing process compared to guys who are used to only one or two practices a week."
Hard work is one of the things that has helped accelerate the NLL learning curve for Gajic.
"I hadn't had a chance to see much of him before this season," said second-year Colorado forward Dan Carey, the Mammoth's leading scorer with 31 goals, 33 assists and 64 points, which ranks 10th in the league. "But he's really a hard worker and it's been an absolute pleasure to have him as a teammate."
Gajic's progress isn't surprising anybody, either.
"Maybe he's been a little more successful early on than we thought he might be," said Bandits assistant coach Troy Cordingley. "But we knew he was a good player. It's no surprise that he's fit right in, because they have some really good systems and he's a very talented lacrosse player."
Gajic's Stanley Cup quest has been replaced by visions of a Champion's Cup repeat.
If it happens for the Mammoth, Gajic will have to keep playing more like a veteran than a rookie.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing him get even better with time," Gait said, nodding his head. "I think he can be an exceptional player in this league for a long time."
Gait is one guy who certainly should know.
