NHL Future Updates
By Bodog
NHL Offseason Player Moves, News & Future Updates
Ilya Kovalchuk was the biggest prize on this year's NHL free agent market, but it took over two months for the star winger to ink a contract – and have that deal approved by the league. Kovalchuk will skate as a member of the Devils when training camp opens.
But the Devils now have to do some roster management to get under the NHL salary cap – and that'll mean saying goodbye to other players. Candidates to depart include forwards Jamie Langenbrunner, Brian Rolston, and Dainius Zubrus, and defenseman Bryce Salvador. If none of those players entice another team the Devils might have to instead trade away a higher-end asset – one such as young scoring center Travis Zajac.
Kovalchuk, of course, first joined the Devils prior to the trade deadline last season, putting up 10 goals and 27 points in 27 regular-season games and another two goals and six points in five playoff contests. All that added up to, though, was a first-round playoff loss for New Jersey. Still, the oddsmakers at the Bodog Sportsbook have the Devils modestly priced at 15/1 to win the Stanley Cup this season with Kovalchuk there.
Kovalchuk's old team, the Thrashers, would be happy just to make the playoffs this season, as the moribund franchise is pegged well back at 80/1 odds to win the league championship next spring. Atlanta still has some work to do this offseason as well, as they've yet to come to terms with restricted free agent winger Niclas Bergfors. The Thrashers acquired Bergfors from the Devils last year in the Kovalchuk trade, and the young Swede went on to put up eight goals and 17 points over 27 games with the team.
And Bergfors isn't the only notable restricted free agent still looking to work out a contract with his team. The Ducks, at 35/1 odds to win the Cup, have been at loggerheads with winger Bobby Ryan, who has scored 68 goals for the team over the past two seasons. As well, the Stars (50/1 Cup odds) still need to get winger James Neal under contract for the upcoming season; Neal had 27 goals in 78 games last year.
Emerging forwards Peter Mueller (Avalanche), Andrew Cogliano (Oilers), and Martin Hanzal (Coyotes) have also yet to come to terms with their respective teams, along with Rangers defenseman Marc Staal. Staal put up eight goals and 27 points for New York last season, career-best numbers for the third-year blueliner. However, the Rangers are caught in a cap crunch, thanks in large part to veteran d-man Wade Redden's burdensome contract. New York (40/1 to win the Cup) could send Redden to the minors.
One restricted free agent who did finally sign on the dotted line last week was Canadiens netminder Carey Price, who commanded a two-year, $5.5 million contract. The Habs made another goalie move earlier in the summer, dealing Jaroslav Halak (their playoff starter) to the Blues for a package of prospects. Price now finds himself alone on the hot seat for the Canadiens, who are pegged at 25/1 odds to claim the Cup.
And in Montreal that seat can get scorching. The move to send Halak to the Blues wasn't a popular one with the fanbase, which has yet to warm up to Price. In fact, Halak returned to the city over the weekend to sign autographs for charity and found 5,000 people waiting in line for his signature. Should Price stumble out of the gates for the Canadiens this year it could be a long season for a franchise that is always Cup or bust.