The question on every New Jersey fans mind right now is whether or not GM Lou Lamoriello will use the second Devils compliance buyout prior to the June 30th deadline. This past Tuesday Rich Chere, of New Jersey’s Star Ledger, asked Lamoriello that very question, and Lou responded with “You don’t use something for the sake of using it. If it is used it will be for the right reasons, but that’s not saying it will be used.”
In 2013 and 2014, every NHL team was given the ability to buy out two contracts without incurring a penalty. This means that the player receives a portion of his contract (66.6% over twice the remaining length of the deal), while removing his salary cap hit. Jersey’s team used its first compliance buyout last summer on former goaltender, Johan Hedberg. Two names have been speculated to be candidates for the second buyout; Captain Bryce Salvador and Anton Volchenkov. Let’s briefly take a look at both.
Candidates for the Devils Compliance Buyout
Bryce Salvador, the current captain of the Devils, joined New Jersey via trade from the St. Louis Blues during the 2007-08 campaign. He currently has one year left on his contract with a salary cap hit of $3.25 Million. Since joining the club, the now 38-year old, has tallied 8 goals and 37 assists totaling 45 points in 324 regular season games for the Devils. Four of those points came this past season, on a New Jersey club that was desperate for goals. The Devils ranked 27th in the NHL with only 2.40 goals per game. While it may not be fair to blame lack of goals on a team’s defense, when you are averaging 0.02 goals per game as Bryce has during his tenure in New Jersey, something’s got to give. Extreme lack of productivity would qualify as “right reason” to use that second compliance buyout, right Lou?
Let’s move on to Anton Volchenkov, another defenseman, who has two years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4.25 Million per season. The A-Train, as the Devils faithful have come to known Volchenkov, now 32-years old, has lit the lamp a whopping 3 times, adding 30 assists in 222 regular season contests for the Devils since joining the club in 2010. But Anton has never been known for his scoring prowess, but more for his defensive skills, including his willingness to sacrifice his body, as in blocked shots. Averaging 1.79 blocks per game his first 129 games with New Jersey, that figure has since dropped to 1.51 blocked shots per game over his last 93 contests with the club. During that same period, Volchenkov’s time on ice per game declined from 18:03 to 16:25. As these numbers decline his hefty salary cap hit unfortunately does not. Being overpaid should qualify as another reason to use that second buyout right Lou?
With the recent re-signing of Marek Zidlicky, and the continued presence of longtime Devil, Andy Greene, on the team’s blue line, New Jersey’s solid young core of defensemen, which includes the likes of Jonathan Merrill, Eric Gelinas and Adam Larsson, have plenty of veteran leadership to look up to and continue to learn from, making both Salvador and Volchenkov expendable this offseason.
It remains to be seen whether or not Lamoriello will use the team’s second compliance buyout on either of the aforementioned defensemen, if at all, however, Devils fans do know one thing. They will likely have to wait until the last minute for an announcement to come, which is in typical Lou fashion.
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