Parise to make decision today; Preds losing patience with Suter

Day 1 of free agency came and went without decisions coming on the futures' of the market’s top two names. Both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter received offers and heard pitches from various teams, but will likely choose their destinations on today.

Devils hot stove update

As the NHL heads into All-Star weekend, the New Jersey Devils, a playoff team in 19 of the last 21 seasons, face a lot of uncertainty.  The primary concern is long-term due to the ownership situation.  The Devils are in a tremendous amount of debt and may be unable to re-sign certain players, including soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, Zach Parise.  The Devils captain is making $6 million this season and is believed to demand close to $8 million per season this summer, should he reach free agency.  It seems unlikely that the Devils will trade him, as they are currently in a playoff spot, but if they struggled after the All-Star break, Parise could be moved so that the Devils can get a return.  It would probably take an elite defenseman, forward or massive package of prospects and draft picks to pry Parise out of New Jersey during the season.

Devils retiring Niedermayer's #27, acquire D Foster, expect C Zajac back

The New Jersey Devils seemed to be playing better hockey lately.  They've won 4 out of their last 5 games and have even started scoring goals and outplaying teams consistently recently.  This week is also particularly significant for the Devils because they've added a piece to their team that they really haven't had in a long time: an offensively-minded defenseman. 

Devils expecting C Zajac back soon

Coming into this season, Devils center Travis Zajac had played over 400 consecutive NHL games, which set a new franchise record in that category, however he suffered a torn Achilles' tendon in the off-season and has yet to play in 2011-12.  That could change very soon, according to General Manager Lou Lamoriello.  Zajac is expected to join the Devils and practice with the team by next Wednesday.  He is regarded as one of the top two-way centers in the NHL, despite struggling last season and putting up just 44 points in 82 games.  Zajac and left wing Zach Parise were one of the league's most lethal offensive combinations from 2008-2010, but Parise lasted just 12 games last season before his season essentially ended with a torn meniscus (he returned for one game in April).

Devils' Brodeur could return this week, Josefson out 3-4 months

Future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur has won well over 600 NHL regular season games, but none of them have come this season.  Brodeur has been nursing a bruised shoulder since leaving October 13th's victory over the L.A. Kings after the first period making a diving save across the crease.  No surgery was necessary, and Brodeur is accompanying the Devils to Los Angeles as they begin a three-game west coast road trip.  Brodeur could start in L.A. Tuesday night, Phoenix Thursday night or Saturday in Dallas.

Center Jacob Josefson will miss 3-4 months following surgery on a fractured clavicle.  Josefson suffered the injury in Friday's shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks after awkwardly crashing shoulder-first into the boards.  The Devils are already without top center Travis Zajac, so the loss of Josefson is testing the team's depth at center.  Patrik Elias, Dainius Zubrus, rookie Adam Henrique and Brad Mills are currently serving as the team's centers, and Petr Sykora has seen some action as the third line center, with Mattias Tedenby and David Clarkson.

Devils battling minor injuries; the future of Devils goaltending



Adam Larsson has played big minutes for the Devils,
despite having only played 4 NHL games.

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2011/10/devils_rookie_adam_larsson_sid.html

 The 3-1-0 New Jersey Devils have won three consecutive games since dropping their Opening Night contest, 3-0 to Philadelphia.  In the process, rookie defenseman and 2011 fourth overall draft pick Adam Larsson has received big minutes.  According to hockeyreference.com, Larsson is averaging 24:14 of ice-time per game through four games.  He was struck in his leg during a practice and missed an additional practice session following the team's recent victory in Nashville.  Larsson returned to practice today.

4th overall pick A. Larsson makes Devils, Sykora un-signed, Captain TBA

All 30 NHL teams have a Wednesday deadline to make their final roster cuts before opening weekend coming up.  This is also the deadline for teams to get under the NHL's salary cap, which shockingly, is not an issue for Lou Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils.  The big news today, however, is that 18-year old Adam Larsson has made the Devils out of training camp, as Lou Lamoriello is impressed with the younger offensively and defensively (quotes from Lamoriello may be found on Tom Gulitti's Fire and Ice blog). 

Report: Devils to retire Niedermayer's #27

Five players were a part of all three New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup teams (1995, 2000, 2003): Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Sergei Brylin, Martin Brodeur and Scott Niedermayer.  Brodeur is the only active player remaining, and two of those players have had their jerseys risen to the rafters.  Now, according to Tom Gulitti of Fire and Ice, that exclusive group could gain a new member, as the Devils are reportedly planning Scott Niedermayer Night at the Prudential Center next season.  The reported date could be December 16th against the Dallas Stars.

2011-2012 NHL Comeback Players

By: Peter Harling 
Every season we see players who have had “off seasons” the year prior for a variety of reasons bounce back the following season. The reasons can stem from injuries, poor quality of line mates, being in a coach’s dog house, or just bad luck. Whatever the reason, some times players bounce back, some don’t.  Here are my top five candidates to mount a comeback in 2011-2012.

Devils re-sign Parise, add Barr to coaching staff

The Devils hope that Zach Parise will be celebrating many
goals in 2011-12 and beyond.

Once Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello traded the heavily-paided veteran Brian Rolston to the Islanders to clear cap space, things fell into place for the team.  Today, star forward Zach Parise was signed to a one-year, $6 million deal, which avoids arbitration and will make Parise an unrestricted free agent next summer, unless a long-term deal is reached by July 1st, 2012.  As Tom Gulitti reports, Parise, his agent (Jason Arnott's brother, Wade) and Lamoriello will continue to work towards a long-term contract once the NHL's current Collective Bargaining Agreement permits further negotiation with the player, which would be January 1st, 2012.

Devils trade Brian Rolston to Islanders for Trent Hunter

On the first day of free agency in 2008, the Devils took a gamble on one of their former players, Brian Rolston, signing him to a 4-year/$20+ million contract, which also included a full no-trade clause.  In his three previous seasons in Minnesota, Rolston had eclipsed 30 goals in each of them, however the veteran winger struggled in his return to New Jersey, scoring just one point more (32) than he had goals (31) in his final season in Minnesota.  Rolston reached 20 goals just once in his three seasons back in New Jersey, and today, general manager Lou Lamoriello has traded the winger to the Islanders in exchange for Trent Hunter.

Hunter's season was limited to just 17 games last season due to an MCL injury that required surgery.  This move brings the Islanders closer to the salary cap floor, while clearing cap space for the Devils, who still need to sign Zach Parise.  The Islanders are still about $5 million below the cap floor, but Rolston's $5.062 million cap hit brings them closer.  Rolston did waive his no-trade clause to complete the trade.

Zach Parise's arbitration case is scheduled for August 3rd.  That would likely complete the Devils' 2011-12 roster.

Reviewing Zach Parise's future with the Devils

The Devils have had a fairly quiet off-season to date, and for many fans of the team, that comes as a relief, especially after the saga involving Ilya Kovalchuk last summer.  There is one critical piece to the Devils that is still unsigned: Zach Parise.  Although Parise's 2010-11 season was cut to just 13 games due to a knee injury, Parise has proven to be an elite hockey player when he's healthy after seasons of 94 and 82 points prior to last season.

There is no breaking news regarding the current restricted free agent, but I'd like to take the time to review Parise's immediate future with the team.  First of all, Parise will play for the Devils in 2011-12.  The question remains, however, for how much longer beyond 2011-12.  Parise and the Devils have three different options for next season, which are detailed below.