Devils keep Elias,Zubrus,Buyout Hedberg....

Free agents in the NHL may not be able to sign contracts with new teams until today,but they can make deals with their current ones.
Lou Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils kept two,bought out another's contract and looks to be preparing to move on without a fourth..

Patrik Elias signed a three year deal worth over 16 million and The Devils kept the one player that the team needed to keep in the fold.
Elias,the all time leading scorer for the franchise,led the team in scoring in the abbreviated season with 36 points and despite his advanced age (37) was a must sign for a team that needs to add offense,not lose it.
Elias shows little signs of slowing,but with a three year deal could be on last legs for the last season of the deal.
Lou Lamoriello has shown a tendency in recent years to add perhaps a year too long on contracts,but in this case,I support it.
Considering the status of Patrik Elias with the franchise,I am sympathetic to the decision and think if it isn't a good move on the ice for the final year,it will at least be a goodwill gesture to a beloved water carrier for the franchise....

I wish I could say the same for the three year deal for the perpetually disappointing Dainius Zubrus.
Zubrus took a pay cut to stay with the Red and Black (9.3 million),but his numbers still were not deserving of a new deal.
Two goals in 22 games doesn't do it for me.
Zubrus has become a decent checking center and some two way work has been decent,but in the end-Zubrus has just not been worth the paychecks that he had been receiving from the team and now he will draw them for three more seasons....

The Devils did the inevitable as Johan Hedberg was bought out of his contract as the backup.
Hedberg would have been paid 1.4 million for the upcoming season,but with the addition of Cory Schneider,Hedberg was doomed for a return.
Hedberg struggled at times last year and there really is no further need for his services.
Hedberg's play in the absence of Martin Brodeur could be circled as the main reason for the Devils collapse and resulting miss of the playoffs.

The bad news is that it appears that David Clarkson is unlikely to return.
Clarkson had always been a favorite of mine,but I have a feeling that some team is going to pay him far more money for the last year and a half of production than they might feel is fair return.
I like Clarkson and the Devils attempted to retain his rights,but if the numbers that he is looking for is similar to those that Patrik Elias signed for,I'll reluctantly pass.....