In a Thank You letter to fans published in the summer, Lazar expressed his appreciation to the fanbase for their support in his short time with the Sabres organization.
"I was out shopping for a dehumidifier and a kid recognized me. He looks at me and goes, 'Hey, you're the faceoff guy.' That's how I became known in Buffalo - the faceoff guy," he wrote. "Here I am, the new kid on the block, and I go out to dinner and people are bringing up overtime faceoffs.
"The thing I have learned about Sabres fans is that they recognize those small details. I feel like all they want is hard work and effort. And that is the foundation of my game. I might not always be successful, but I'm always going to give it my all and it's going to be very hard to beat me. I'm going to be very physical and strong."
Lazar, 25, recorded 14 points (6+8) in 18 games with Rochester - leading the team in points per game (0.78) - and then posted 10 points (5+5) in 38 NHL games last year. Of Sabres players who took at least 100 faceoffs, he led the team with a career-best 51.3 win percentage, including a 52.9 percent success rate in the defensive zone.
"I'm just entering my prime," he told Sabres.com in June. "I feel like last year was that coming out party where I've had that roller coaster ride, a lot of ups and downs, and people kind of say I've resurrected my career. Well, I'm not going to stop now or be content with the season I had.
"I want to continue to grow. I want to be an answer on the depth of this team and we'll see where that takes me. I've got a lot of time to prepare for next season, whenever that may be."
Prior to joining the Sabres, Lazar won two WHL Championships and a Memorial Cup as a member of the Edmonton Oil Kings before captaining Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he tied for the tournament lead in goals. He was selected 17th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft by Ottawa.
