Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Zajac malitere ọrụ hockey ice ya na Salmon Arm Silverbacks nke British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Otu n'ime ndị otu ya bụ Brady Murray, onye ga-egwu obere oge na NHL maka Los Angeles Kings, na onye ya na ya so bụ onye ga-abụ onye na-agba Calgary Flames Kris Chucko. N'oge nke abụọ ya na Salmon Arm, Zajac duziri ndị otu na ihe mgbaru ọsọ, na-enyere aka na isi ihe, ma mechie nke abụọ n'ozuzu na Njikọ na ọnụ ọgụgụ abụọ ikpeazụ. Na ngwụcha oge ahụ, akpọrọ ya MVP nke BCHL's Interior Division, ọ gwakwara na BCHL All-Star Game. Egwuregwu ya dọtara uche, a na-atụkwa anya na ọ ga-abụ onye a ga-ahọrọ na agba nke mbụ na 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Amụma ahụ gosipụtara na ọ bụ eziokwu, dịka New Jersey Devils ga-ewere ya na nhọrọ 20 n'ozuzu. Ndị Devils gbanwere iji nweta Zajac, nke "pụtara ọtụtụ ihe" nye ya, mana ọ bụghị ihe ijuanya, ebe ndị Devils nyochara ya karịa otu ọ bụla ọzọ. Zajac họọrọ igwu egwuregwu hockey kọleji maka Mahadum North Dakota kama igwu egwuregwu hockey nke obere na Canadian Hockey League (CHL), ebe ọ chọrọ agụmakwụkwọ na mgbakwunye na igwu hockey. Mgbe ahụ-Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello kwuru na a ga-enwe ohere maka Zajac na North Dakota roster n'ihi na Ekwensu na-akpọghachi azụ Zach Parise, drafted
n'afọ gara aga, ka ọ na-egwu hockey ọkachamara.