New Jersey Devils Sign Damon Severson, Reece Scarlett To Entry-Level Deals

The New Jersey Devils announced on Thursday afternoon that the club has signed two of it's defensive prospects, Damon Severson and Reece Scarlett to entry-level contracts.

Scarlett was selected by the team with the No. 159 overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft (sixth round). Originally projected as a late-first or early-second round pick, the 19-year-old struggled at the end of the 2010-11 season with the Swift Current of the Western Hockey League but rebounded last season by registering nine goals and 40 assists for 49 points in his best offensive year to date.

The increase in production has some projecting the Edmonton native as a potential steal for the Devils.

Severson was selected with the No. 60 overall pick in the second round of the 2012 draft. The 18-year-old, right-handed shooting defenseman registered seven goals and 30 assists for 37 points last season as a member of the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. His role model is Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, who is also a right-handed shooting defenseman who played for Kelowna.

For more on the Devils, please check out In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York.

Devils Sign 1st Round Draft Pick Stefan Matteau

The New Jersey Devils signed their top draft pick Stefan Matteau to an entry-level contract.

Devils 2012 Offseason: New Jersey Reportedly Re-signs Mark Fayne To 2-Year Deal

The New Jersey Devils have re-signed defenseman Mark Fayne, according to ESPN New York. The deal is reportedly for two years and $2.6 million in total, $1.2 million for the first year and $1.4 million for the following year. Fayne picked up four goals and 13 assists for the Devils in the 2011-2012 season, adding another three assists in the playoffs.

Fayne may not be available for the season opener, as he had surgery on a ligament in his left wrist in late June. When he does recover Devils fans should be glad to have him back; SB Nation's Devils blog In Lou We Trust said the 25-year-old "proved to be a top-four NHL defenseman over the last one and a half seasons."

Stick with SB Nation New York and this StoryStream for rumors, news updates and more from the New Jersey Devils 2012 offseason. For all things Devils, head over to In Lou We Trust.

NHL Free Agency 2012: New Jersey Devils Sign Krys Barch

The New Jersey Devils have agreed to terms with enforcer Krys Barch. Terms of the deal were not disclosed (via Fire & Ice).

Barch spent 114 minutes in the penalty box last season while splitting 51 games between the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers. All five of his points (2 goals, three assists) came in his 41 games in Florida. Barch had 12 fighting majors last season.

Barch's agent, Scott Norton, discussed what his client could bring to the Devils:

"So much of the hockey world was standing still for (Zach) Parise and (Ryan) Suter and Krys looked at his role and the way the game is going. There have been definite signs the last couple of years that physical teams are winning the Stanley Cup and certainly teams in that (Atlantic) Division can utilize guys who can both play and be physical. The Devils play the Rangers, they play the Flyers, they play the Penguins. It's a way for Krys to showcase himself with a team that's built on character. That, and the fact that Eastern time zone travel, that certainly looked attractive, certainly more than the left coast."

For his career, the winger has racked up 669 penalty minutes in 304 games. Barch also has 12 goals and 19 assists during his career.

For more on the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Zach Parise Signs With Minnesota Wild, Says He's Still 'Loyal' But Wanted To Play In Home State

Zach Parise called himself a loyal person on Wednesday after signing with the Minnesota Wild, saying the only reasons he left the New Jersey Devils were to play in his home state and with his friend Ryan Suter.

"I think at the end it came between New Jersey and Minnesota," Parise said. "I have great friends in New Jersey. I'm a loyal person. I loved playing there. I told Lou, that, too. It came down to the idea of being able to come home to play and be around family."

Parise signed a 13-year, $98-million deal with Minnesota on Wednesday. He had played the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the Devils, scoring 31 goals with 38 assists for 69 points last season.

For more on Zach Parise and the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Zach Parise Signs With Minnesota Wild: Prized Free Agent Leaves New Jersey Devils

Zach Parise will not return to the New Jersey Devils next season.

The prized free agent has chosen the Minnesota Wild as his destination, according to a report from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN on Wednesday. The forward will make $98 million over 13 years, according to LeBrun.

He had also been considering the Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers.

Parise had played all of his seven NHL seasons with the Devils. The 27-year-old had 31 goals and 38 assists for 69 points with the Devils last season. He added eight goals and seven assists in the playoffs to help lead the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Kings.

The Wild also agreed with Ryan Suter on Wednesday, making Independence Day a great day for the organization.

For more on Zach Parise and the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Zach Parise Free Agency Rumors 2012: Decision Expected Wednesday

After much speculation on where Zach Parise will land, the saga appears to be coming to an end on Wednesday.

According to TSN's Darren Drager, Parise is expected to announce on Wednesday where he will play in the 2012-13 season..

Parise is according to many the biggest prize of this year's free agent crop. The 27-year-old forward has his pick of where his future lies, with the believed frontrunners including the New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild. The Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings are also in the mix with some talk that the Chicago Blackhawks are also involved in the bidding war.

Parise has said that money isn't the biggest factor in his decision, so it's fair to wonder if the Devils -- with whom he has spent his entire -- gain an advantage out of that considering their well-publicized financial issues.

Minnesota also might have the edge, with Parise and his fiance hailing from the area. We'll all know the answer soon enough...we think.

For more on Zach Parise and the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Bryce Salvador Re-Signs With Devils For Three Years, $9.5 Million

The wait for the final decision of Zach Parise hasn't hampered the New Jersey Devils organization from keeping pieces of its Stanley Cup Final squad. The Devils have reportedly resigned veteran Bryce Salvador to a three-year, $9.5 million deal. The contract is worth an average of $3.16 per season.

Salvador, 36, was considering about a half-dozen offers from other teams, but chose to return to New Jersey, where he compiled four goals and 14 points in 24 postseason games. Salavador's playoff heroics followed a so-so regular season, which featured him tallying just nine assists in 82 games.

For more on the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Devils Free Agency Day 2 Recap: Brodeur and Hedberg Return, Parise Decision Still Looms

Martin Brodeur's trip into free agency lasted just one day.

The New Jersey Devils re-signed their legendary goaltender, inking Brodeur to a two-year, $9 million contract. It includes a no-trade clause, and probably ensures Brodeur will finish his career with the same team it started. His average cap hit will be $4.5 million.

The Devils were initially unwilling to offer Brodeur more than a one-year contract. But Lou Lamoriello relented, offering the 40-year old goalie a two-year deal. That helped seal the deal.

"The money was there," Brodeur told Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record. "It was more for one year. It was the two years that was important to me with the lockout (possibly coming). At my age, I went through a lockout before and you lose a lot of money if it happens for a whole year and at my age who knows if in this situation I would have been without a contract without playing a whole year? I just didn't want to have to go through that."

New Jersey also kept Johan Hedberg, signing the 39-year old backup to a two-year, $2.8 million contract. Like Brodeur, Hedberg received a full no-trade clause. He's been better than expected in two seasons with New Jersey, posting a 17-7-2 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

Hedberg kept his family in Atlanta while playing for the Devils, and said the security of a two-year contract helped him stay with the team.

"If it would have been one year, we would have been in the same boat and I probably wouldn't have been able to do that and I don't know what would have happened," Hedberg told Gulitti. "So, I'm very happy that Lou made a commitment and gave me the two years. I'm going to do everything that I can to be as prepared as possible to make sure I can be as good as I can be."

It wasn't all good news. New Jersey is still waiting for Zach Parise to make his decision on where to sign. The unrestricted free agent and Devils captain is considering several teams, and New Jersey remains a strong possibility. After calling a press conference today, Parise announced he wasn't making a decision, instead opting to take time to consider the decision with his family.

Devils Free Agency: Johan Hedberg Is Back With New Jersey

After signing one goaltender - albeit a little bigger of a name - to a two-year contract this morning, the New Jersey Devils locked up another for the same length.

Johan Hedberg is back in the fold after agreeing to a two-year, $2.8 million contract on Monday morning that includes a full no-trade clause, according to ESPN's Katie Strang. Of course the other goalie signed this morning by New Jersey was the legendary Martin Brodeur, for two years and $9 million.

Hedberg isn't a huge name, but he's easily one of the best backups in the NHL. Even at the age of 39, Hedberg posted stellar numbers in limited time last year. In 27 games (23 starts), he went 17-7-2 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against average.

The Devils just went from being completely unsettled in net to absolutely set within a matter of hours. The long-term solutions certainly haven't been figured out yet, but New Jersey is solid as a rock for 2012-13 between the pipes.

For more on the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Martin Brodeur Stays With The Devils

The greatest goaltender to ever live is coming back to the New Jersey Devils, this according to TSN.ca.

Martin Brodeur has agreed to a two-year, $9 million contract to remain with the only team he's ever known. After hiring Pat Brisson to be his agent and fielding some calls on the first day of free agency, Brodeur decided to stay in the Garden State after all.

The 40-year-old netminder is coming off of a spectacular run that saw he and his team come up just two wins shy of another Stanley Cup title.

It would have been sacrilegious to see Brodeur in another uniform, after watching his legacy grow to mythical proportions with the Devils. Brodeur of course owns just about every record in the book, including wins (656) and shutouts (119). He also owns three very big and shiny rings.

"All I know is New Jersey," Brodeur told the New York Post. "All my friends are in New Jersey. It was hard that people thought I wanted to leave. I didn't want to do that." [via Pro Hockey Talk]

It's always a shame to watch the great ones finish their career in a foreign jersey such as Michael Jordan and Jerry Rice. Martin Brodeur will not have to worry about that.

For more on the Devils, please be sure to check out our blog In Lou We Trust and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

If Big Money Is The Goal, Parise Won't Be Back In New Jersey

NHL Free Agency 2012: Alexei Ponikarovsky Signs With Winnipeg Jets

Alexei Ponikarovsky signed a one-year contract worth $1.8 million with the Winnipeg Jets on the first day of the 2012 NHL free agency period Sunday. Ponikarovsky joined the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 20 in a trade with the Caroline Hurricanes.

Ponikarovsky notched 18 points in 33 regular season games played with the Devils last season off seven goals and 11 assists. He is the first casualty in what could be a rough offseason for the runners-up in the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Finals.

Forward Zach Parise and long-time netminder Martin Brodeur are both officially unrestricted free agents as of July 1. New Jersey may have trouble keeping one or both next season. Parise is one of the highest-profile free agents in the league and Brodeur could bolt if the Devils don't feel he is worth the $5.2 million he earned last season.

For more on Ponikarovsky and the Devils' 2012 free agents, head over to the SB Nation blog In Lou We Trust.

NHL Free Agency 2012, New Jersey Devils Preview