The Devils’ pattern resumes Sunday, when Bobby Holik takes that first small step towards becoming the next star to leave the team as an unrestricted free agent, just 11½ months from now.
The Devils have not made any move to lock up Holik long-term, and the 30-year-old restricted free agent is expected to file Sunday for salary arbitration for what could be his final season in New Jersey.
Holik made $2.7 million last season and can be expected to seek as much as $5 million from the arbitrator for his last season before unrestricted free agency. If he is awarded more than the $4.725 million Martin Brodeur will make next season, there will be a question whether Lou Lamoriello will keep Holik at a higher price than Brodeur’s unofficial team salary cap. Lamoriello can walk away from an arbitration award, but immediately loses Holik as an unrestricted free agent before the start of the upcoming season. A trade would be a more likely route if Holik wins a larger salary than Brodeur.
If he remains with the Devils after receiving his salary award, Holik would be likely to turn free agent next summer. The bidding likely would be widespread and escalating for the power center who has terrorized more than one superstar. At that point, it would be a major upset if the Devils came close enough to induce Holik to remain after the upcoming season.
Other restricted free agents likely to file for salary arbitration Sunday include Turner Stevenson, Petr Sykora and Sergei Brylin.
The Devils have already lost Alexander Mogilny, Sean O’Donnell and Ken Sutton as unrestricted free agents in the past two weeks, and have signed UFA Tommy Albelin from Calgary.
It appears that New Jersey will also lose underrated two-way center Bob Corkum as an unrestricted in the coming weeks. The Devils may be trying to low-ball the valuable center, who is being courted by several teams after his playoff showing.