5 Former New Jersey Devils Who Could Retire This Offseason

Retirement is inevitable in hockey. Some players can play into their 40s. Others see their careers continue until their late 30s. Then, there are the careers cut short by either injuries or ineffectiveness. Those stories are always hard to believe, a player retiring in his 20s, but these things happen unfortunately.

One thing that we don't know is when Jaromir Jagr will retire. That's why you won't see him on this list. Despite being 52 years old, Jagr has shown no signs of slowing down with Kladno. However, there are a few surprising names who could retire this offseason.

Ilya Kovalchuk

We'll start with a dirty name on this list. Ilya Kovalchuk might be the most hated player in the history of New Jersey Devils fans. Scott Gomez and Bobby Holik both left the Devils to sign lucrative contracts with the Devils biggest rivals, the New York Rangers. Yet, they aren't nearly as hated as Ilya Kovalchuk.

Everyone knows why. Kovalchuk signed an insane 15-year contract with the Devils to keep him in New Jersey through the end of his career. The $100 million was supposed to be enough to entice Kovalchuk away from the Los Angeles Kings and the KHL. Then, the lockout happenedin 2012. Coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance, the NHL season started late, and Kovalchuk was able to get a taste of KHL action and likely some seedy conversations that convinced him to end his NHL career.

Of course, technically, Kovalchuk already "retired," which is how he got out of his Devils contract. He returned to the NHL only after he turned 35. Then he left for the KHL again. This time, it feels like it's about over. Kovalchuk is 41 years old. Rumors are swirling that his career is at the end. We don't think any Devils fan will shed a tear. It's ironic the Devils will continue paying for Kovalchuk after he officially retires.

Zach Parise

This one is extremely expected. After the Colorado Avalanche were eliminated by the Dallas Stars, everyone was talking about it being the last game of Zach Parise’s career. The former Devils captain had said at points during the year that he wanted this season to be his last. 

Parise is still somewhat effective. He had two goals this postseason in 11 games, and one was a game-winning goal. He was trying to win his first career Stanley Cup, but it looks like his career is going to end without a ring. 

The closest Parise came to winning it all was in 2012. As captain of the New Jersey Devils, he led the team past the Florida Panthers, past the Philadelphia Flyers, past the New York Rangers, and into the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings. After going down 3-0, the Devils scratched and clawed back to a sixth game, which included a Zach Parise goal in Game 5. 

Of course, this isn’t another celebration for Devils fans. Parise left for the Minnesota Wild in free agency. While that is his right, the rumors that came out after the signing did not make Devils fans feel good. Who knows what would have happened if he never left? 

Keith Kinkaid

The New Jersey Devils made the surprising move this season of signing Keith Kinkaid to a two-way deal, allowing him to remain with the Chicago Wolves. The Devils would be able to call up Kinkaid at any point during the season, and they would own his NHL rights (in case another team wanted to claim him).

Kinkaid played during the preseason, but he only got 12 minutes and made seven saves. He was sent through waivers back to Chicago, and the Devls never heard from him again. Kinkaid battled injuries this season, and despite all their struggles, the Devils never had the urge to call him up.

That's because things were a mess in Chicago. It wasn't all his fault, but the facts are the facts. Kinkaid finished the season with an .880 save percentage. This was a Wolves team that didn't have an NHL affiliation, so the team was not good, but Kinkaid should have been better than this.

How bad does Kinkaid want to stay in hockey? We're sure a team will bring him in for veteran experience, but it's possible he could end up in the ECHL. He would also get a job in Europe, but that's a big ask for a player holding on for an extra year or two. We see it as just as likely Kinkaid retires. We will remember that 2018 run fondly, where he and Taylor Hall carried the Devils to the playoffs.

Pat Maroon

This one would surprise a lot of people, as Pat Maroon is not too old and still effective at a certain segment of the game (physicality), but reports out of Boston are his health isn’t in great shape after his current run with the Bruins. Boston GM Don Sweeney said Maroon’s health is the one thing he’s waiting for before he has a conversation about re-signing him. 

Maroon would honestly be an interesting signing for the Devils, a team desperate for toughness without losing all of the skill. Maroon is not the player he used to be, but he still has the foundation that once made him really good and champion-caliber player. 

Maroon did not spend a long time with the Devils, but he had an underrated impact on that 2018 playoff run. He had 13 points in the final 17 games of the season, a time when the Devils were desperately trying to hold off the Florida Panthers. Not bad for a deal that happened just under the wire. Honestly, the Maroon trade made the Michael Grabner trade more palatable. 

Again, this all comes down to injuries. If Maroon can keep going, the big guy will keep going. However, there’s a non-zero chance he can’t.