The New Jersey Devils' Brian Rolston cleared re-entry waivers today and will remain Devils property.
Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello gave Rolston permission to seek a trade or find a team willing to claim him on Tuesday, when he assigned the left-winger to Albany of the AHL.
Yesterday, Rolston expressed hope at starting fresh with another team. It appears as though that won't happen.
The Devils can either keep Rolston in Albany, where he has to play games for them, or return him to their roster. The team will still be responsible for Rolston's $5,062,500 salary, even if he stays in the minors.
It's clear from the team's standpoint that Rolston has played his final game for the Devils. His production isn't anywhere near the level of his contract and injury concerns are always present. The contract will, however, be a sticking point for many other NHL general managers. They don't want a 38-year-old player on the back end of his career taking five million in cap space.