While finally confirming that his hunt for a fifth coach in five years has begun in earnest, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello told The Post that defenseman Anssi Salmela will undergo knee surgery to repair what is believed to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Salmela suffered the injury while playing for Finland in a tournament prep for the World Championships. Salmela, who did not play for the Devils in the playoffs nor in the final 15 games of the season, may still be recuperating by the start of training camp.
Lamoriello indicated that his coach hunt is in the exploratory phase. John MacLean is the leading candidate from inside the organization, while Ken Hitchcock, Guy Carbonneau, Mike Keenan and Craig MacTavish figure to be top experienced candidates. Hamilton coach Guy Boucher continues to be mentioned among the deserving.
The Devils GM refused to discuss whether the team can afford, salary-cap wise, both Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk after the coming season, except to say, “Decisions are always going to have to be made.”
Kovalchuk becomes unrestricted July 1 after making $7.5 million last season. After making $5 million next season, Parise becomes a restricted free agent for one arbitration-eligible year before reaching UFA.
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Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather announced that the club has agreed to terms with free agent forward Mats Zuccarello Aasen.
“Mats is a highly skilled player with excellent hockey sense,” said Sather. “He has produced at every level he has played, and we think his offensive abilities, both as a scorer and playmaker, make him a valuable asset to the organization.”
Zuccarello Aasen, 22, won league MVP after skating in 55 games with MODO of the Swedish Elite League this past season, registering 23 goals and 41 assists for 64 points, along with 62 penalty minutes.