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Michael Cammalleri Is New Jersey Devils Hardest Offseason Decision

By Nick Villano

Mar 2, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (22) checks New Jersey Devils left wing Michael Cammalleri (13) while battling for the puck in the third period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (22) checks New Jersey Devils left wing Michael Cammalleri (13) while battling for the puck in the third period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Jersey Devils have a lot of big decisions to make this offseason. The biggest of which may be what to do with Michael Cammalleri. 

Another year, another injury-riddled season for New Jersey Devils winger Michael Cammalleri. After missing practice on Monday, he was ruled out of Tuesday game with a lingering shoulder injury. This will make fourteen games he missed so far this season.

Cammalleri has two years left on a five-year, $25 million deal. At this point, his deal isn’t too much to trade, but is it worth trading Cammalleri?

He is having the worst season of his career. Literally, some of his numbers suggest he’s never been this bad.

His shooting percentage (8.1%) is the worst he’s ever had. Despite his injury history with the Devils, he’s still been a scoring threat when he’s on the ice. What’s even worse is how bad he’s been since December. He scored two goals on December 3rd. Since then, he has one goal.

In more than three months, a player who once scored 39 goals in a season, has one goal.

If the Devils were to move on from Cammalleri, they would be doing so at the very bottom of his value. Despite his injury history, he was a commodity that many teams would covet. Now, he may end up being a salary dump.

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The Devils need to keep salary on the books. The team is going to lose a player to the expansion draft. His $5 million salary will keep them closer to the salary floor without making a deal that will hurt them in the future.

Devils need to make a very hard decision on Cammalleri. Trading him could be good for the team if there is still a year or two of rebuilding to do, but the team isn’t getting much at this point. Losing a guy like him would hurt the team, and the return would not be worth it. It will be better for the Devils to ride out his contract than to move him for relatively nothing.

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