The New Jersey Devils all-time leader in goals, assists and points is looking to get one more season on the books before he steps away.
The determining factor on his return will be health. His season was cut short by a knee injury that required surgery. He returned in time to play the last three games of the season, putting up three points in the season-ending win over the Toronto Maple Leafs
If he’s able to bounce back from surgery over the summer, he hopes to be skating for the Devils again next season, according to his agent Allan Walsh. No other team. The 40-year-old has played 20 NHL seasons, all in a Devils sweater. Though his teammate Martin Brodeur walked to another team, it’s hard to see Elias wearing anything but the black and red if he does return.
“He desperately wants to play one more year,” Walsh told Sportsnet. “We’re not talking to other teams. If Patrik is able to play at the level he expects himself to play, if he can contribute to a team, I think New Jersey would very much love to have him back.”
Walsh likened Elias’s situation to that of Teemu Selanne in his final years. “When he felt his knee would hold up and he felt good, he told Anaheim, ‘I’m ready to commit to another year.’ And then they worked out a deal.”
Dustin Nelson is the News Editor for The Hockey Writers. He’s a contributor to Hockey Prospectus, Hockey Wilderness, and writes a column for Rotowire. He’s also written for Gone Puck Wild, Wild Xtra, InDigest, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Tiny Mix Tapes, Prefix Magazine & other publications. Have a tip? Email him at dlukenelson[at]gmail[dot]com.
