Trying to cook up a Cup contender from free agency’s leftovers, with defenseman Vitaly Vishnevsky the latest ingredient, a discounted gamble on Alexei Yashin reads like the sort of project the desperate Devils might consider.
Lou Lamoriello yesterday signed Vishnevsky, a Nashville trade-deadline rental, to a deal paying $1.4 million this season and $2 million each for the next two.
“He brings a physical aspect to our game, size and strength without sacrificing skating ability,” Lamoriello said. “We played against him in the seven-game final series against Anaheim [2003] and were impressed.”
They’ve already signed defenseman Karel Rachunek and forward Dainius Zubrus, but the additions don’t seem to make up for free-agent losses Scott Gomez, Brian Rafalski and Brad Lukowich.
“I don’t think we’re complete yet,” Lamoriello said, refusing to discuss Yashin or defenseman Sheldon Souray, among the big fish left in the pool.
Souray may be asking more ($6 million per) than Lamoriello wants to pay. Yashin was bought out last month by the Islanders, who will pay him more than $2 million for each of the next eight seasons. His reputation was further damaged by that Islanders move, but he led that team’s offense during their surprising first half, until he injured a knee, which coincided with their decline.
With Islanders money already assured, Yashin might be signed at a steep discount by a cost-conscious team needing a top offensive center. He could be attractive to a team that believes its tradition and discipline brings out the best in players, particularly a team that goes for former high picks (second overall, 1992), meaning highly-skilled players.
Vishnevski, 27, born in the Ukraine, played six seasons with the Ducks before being traded to Atlanta last August. He was shipped to the Predators for Eric Belanger at the deadline in February but played only 15 games for Nashville. Taken fifth overall by the Ducks in 1998, the 6-2, 200-pounder stands 14-47-61 in 483 games and represented Russia in the 2006 Olympics.