While he wasn't qualified, the New Jersey Devils official website announced that Andy Greene has been re-signed by the Devils.
Details on the contract have not been released and this post will be updated when it does - probably from Chere or Gulitti.
Greene will probably act as a depth defenseman, filling in on the third pairing. But his spot isn't guaranteed as long as the Devils sign another defenseman or if Matthew Corrente tears it up in training camp. I think it was a good idea to re-sign him as he's serviceable on that third pairing. But that's his ceiling. Again, he's the Devils #6 defenseman right now, in my opinion. With this signing, the Devils have their same top 6 defenseman from last season, so continuity and chemistry will still be a strength of the Devils' blueline.
One RFA remains for New Jersey: Travis Zajac. He has been qualified, so it's only a matter of time until we hear that he has been re-signed.
UPDATE #1: Chere updated his post on the signing by stating it's a two-year deal. No word yet on money though.
UPDATE #2: Gulitti got the details on Greene's contract!
The Devils have re-signed defenseman Andy Greene to a two-year contract for $1.475 million.
He'll earn $725,000 in 2009-10 and $750,000 in 2010-11.
Um, why did Lou not qualify him if Greene was going to get this raise? Qualifying him would guarantee a 10% raise, which was $60,000. Greene got a raise of $125,000 for next season. I don't understand it.
Other than that, I think it's a fair deal. He's a depth defenseman and he's getting paid like one while receiving a raise for at least playing well enough to stay at the NHL level. Unless the Devils go out and sign a big name, $737,500 won't mean much to the salary cap. Still waiting on Zajac.
UPDATE #3: Gulitti has a quote from Greene. He's happy to be here! That's good.
"I knew the process was going to take time with everything else that's going on with the coaching situation and the draft. So, I wasn't worried about it at all. I knew it was going to get done and wasn't really thinking about anything else."
...
"New Jersey is the place where I want to be. I want to play there. It's a great atmosphere to play in and to be in. They do everything they can to take care of us there. You know what you're getting when you're there, so it's the place where I wanted to be and I knew going into it that everything was going to be fine."
