New Jersey Devils: No Deadline to Sign Patrik Elias
While 40-year old Patrik Elias is still rehabbing his surgically repaired knee, New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero has set no deadline on whether or not the team will resign him for one more year.
Will Patrik Elias play for the New Jersey Devils again? Your guess is as good as mine. What we do know is that there is no rush to bring him back.
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In an interview with NorthJersey.com this week, Devils GM Ray Shero said that “there’s no deadline whatsoever,” when speaking about offering Elias a contract. After undergoing surgery on his right knee on May 11th, he was given a recovery timeline of four to six months. So, it’s simply too early in his rehab process to make any decisions yet.
With training camp approaching next week, don’t expect Elias to be one of the players on the ice. He has been given permission by the Devils to use the facilities at Prudential center to continue rehabbing his knee, but that’s it for now.
Elias’s return is contingent on two factors. Number 1, is his knee going to be 100%? And Number 2, if he can get healthy, do the Devils even have room for him on the roster? He’s 40 years old. Patty is going to take his time, and the Devils aren’t going to push him because they now have young talent to fill the lineup. He definitely won’t be ready for training camp, but it’s a good sign that the team is letting him be around for the time being. If Ray Shero had no plans of at least exploring resigning Elias for a year, he certainly wouldn’t be rehabbing in New Jersey right now.
The time will come to make that decision for both sides, but Elias will have to prove to Shero that he will be able really test his injured knee. After only playing 16 games last season, you know Devils management wants to be sure that #26 is in condition to last a full season. Shero commented, “When he does [push it harder], how is it going to react?” Shero said. “And we’ll see exactly where we are as a team at that point, anyway. So we’re going to keep an open mind both ways, but it’s great having Patrik around.”
“There’s no decision on our end or his end,” Devils general manager Ray Shero told The Record in a telephone interview Tuesday. “There’s certainly none to make at this point.
As reported back in June, Elias “desperately wants to play one more year”. As stated by his agent, he has made it clear that he has no interest in playing for another team. But, there’s still no guarantee that the Devils have a spot for him, even if he is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. While his heart is telling him (and us fans) to come back, his age and durability are concerns. The Devils are rebuilding, which means they want to get younger rather than older. With 14 forwards already under contract, bringing back #26 is a big question mark.
We all know that Patrik Elias’s best days are behind him. But, there would be some advantages to bringing him back for one more year. He’s a respected veteran presence in the locker room and has already been a great mentor to younger players. That leadership is valuable on a young team. Get real, the Devils aren’t going to win the Stanley next year, but the goal should definitely be to get back to the playoffs. This team is moving in the right direction and that goal is looking realistic. If Elias can rehab his knee and prove he can still play, give him a one year, cost effective deal.
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If it happens, it happens. If not, it will be unfortunate to see Elias retire like this, but the Devils will be OK without him. For now, we wait.