Devils didn't make qualifying offer to Andy Greene; Walter signed for one year, $500,000

After saying Saturday that he would make qualifying offers to all of the teams restricted free agents, Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello revealed today that the team did not submit a qualifying offer to defenseman Andy Greene before Monday's  5 p.m. deadline. As a result, Greene, 26, will become an unrestricted free agent at noon Wednesday.

"We're going to talk to him and try to work something out," Lamoriello said.

Greene made $600,000 in 2008-09, so the Devils would have had to make him a one-year qualifying offer for $660,000 (10 percent raise). Lamoriello would not discuss the reasons for not making that offer. He sounded confident he would still be able to re-sign Greene, though.

"We're very comfortable we'll get him signed," Lamoriello said.

The Devils did make qualifying offers to the team's other restricted free agents -- center Travis Zajac, center Petr Vrana and left wing Patrick Davis. Although Vrana has signed to play in the Czech Republic next season, the Devils retained his NHL rights by making him a qualiftying offer.

***

Not only did the Devils acquire minor league center Ben Walter and a conditional 2012 draft pick from the Islanders today for the rights to  Tony Romano, they also signed Walter to a new one-year, $500,000 contract.

Walter, 25, was to become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent (25 or older with at least three pro seasons and fewer than 80 NHL games played) at noon on Wednesday.

Could he end up with the Devils in 2009-10?

'We'll have to see," Lamoriello said. "He's a two-way player. He competes. He hasn't played in the NHL (only 22 career games), so we'll have to wait and see."

***

Lamoriello was pleased to re-sign defenseman Johnny Oduya to a three-year, $10.5 million contract earlier today. He said re-signing Oduya was one of the team's highest off-season priorities.

"He really was because of certainly the position and how much he's improved and the dimension he brings to the defense and he's 27 years old," Lamoriello said. "He wanted to be here and we wanted him to be here and we worked at it with his representation and things worked out."

Getting Oduya re-signed will allow Lamoriello to move on to other business with free agents leading up to and after the noon opening of the unrestricted free agent market on Wednesday.

"We'll go a step at a time," Lamoriello said. "Like I said earlier, if we can get better, we will. We still have to have fiscal responsibility."

With Oduya signed, re-signing Travis Zajac is near the top -- if not at the top -- of Lamoriello's to-do list now. It looks like they could have something done soon.

"He's without question one of our highest priorties," Lamoriello said. "We're going to do the best we can (to get him re-signed)."

Comments

[KU Chris]

so resign Zajack in the morning? then go after a d man during the day?

[TG]

For the reasons I posted earlier, they can't actually re-sign Zajac until after noon tomorrow.

[Brodie30]

I have my doubts about Walter making the big club. Maybe if he has a good camp they'll keep initially on a week to week basis. If Madden walks that's Pelley's job to lose.

I'm a little disappointed they didn't qualify Greene. I think he still has lots of potential if we ever gave him some minutes. Perhaps it means Lou will take a shot at Komisarik (I can't imagine Boewmeester is a reality even if he doesn't sign with Calgary). But it seems to me that if Komisarik is the guy that Mottau would be the one to go.

[Puckster]

Why would Mottau go if we signed Komisarek and lost Greene? We'd only have five defensemen: Salvador, White, Oduya, Martin and Komisarek. Mottau would be the sixth.

Am I missing someone?

[DevilsCapsGal]

TG:

Does the RFA have to sign at the qualifying offer? Or are the sides then free to negotiate a contract amount? I do not understand this RFA stuff...

[Philly Devil]

SIGN ANDY GREENE. He's young with upside, unlike a BUM NAMED MIKE MOTTAU.

[YEAHw/e]

whats with all the Mottau haters? he is a solid D-man, just doesn't have a big time name. hes staying on the team, deal with it

[NJSwampdragon]

The Devils will definitely sign a center. They only have two on the roster. Pelley and Walter won't be 3-4.
They will likely sign a D-man too unless they are just going to give Corrente the job. Unlikely.

[Neil S]

Andy Greene is 27, able to be let go and has averaged less than 2 goals a year. When is he gonna hit his prime at 30? This means there's a defense spot open, perhaps for a good UFA defenseman, and Corrente as the 7th.

Don't count on Walter playing in NJ. He'll almost assuredly be in Lowell which is fine. The L-Devils could use those 25 goals.

[Pat D]

I posted in your last post, is there any word on if Lou signed or if he has had talks with David McIntyre?

[Stan Fischler's Beard (AKA Moe)]

They'll work out a new price for Zajac...As for Greene, we need to do better than Andy Greene in order to seriously compete. I'm not worried about losing him. What worries me is Lou mentioning "fiscal responsibility." Is he really saying, "Hey, I'm going to try to sign some guys tomorrow, but if I can't, it's not my fault. Don't be disappointed. They asked for too much. We'll make do with Mottau, White and Greene."

Anyone else curious as to why Scott Niedermayer hasn't signed that contract with the Ducks yet?

[JimboJones]

JayBo signed with Calgary for 5 years per TSN...no dollars announced yet.

[NJSwampdragon]

Fiscally responsible hopefully means they won't do a Zubrus #2.

[JPL]

I will be happy to see Greene go he is average at best. I mean the guy has had like 4 good games and people act like he is the next Bobby Orr.

[Brodie30]

All I meant was that komisarik would replace mottau as the stay at home guy in the third tandem and greene (or insert Lowell prospect) would be the mobile one.

[Neil S]

Problem is Greene is just NOT that good. Oduya and Martin will at least give you 25 or so assists in a season, Greene got you 6. The Devils need someone else to play that mobile defenseman role, Andy Greene was not the answer.

[Stan Fischler's Beard (AKA Moe)]

Amen, Swampdragon. I'm with you there. Although I don't mind paying for quality.

[don]

as far as lou not making a qualifying offer to green, i get the impression that lou has not ruled out getting another defense guy after noontime tom'w and doesn't want any more bodies/cap space filled on the roster until he figures out what, if any, changes he's going to be able to make afterwards...if he is going to sign any free agents, saku koivu would fit in rather nicely if lou can find the cap space for him

[Stan Fischler's Beard (AKA Moe)]

JayBo gets $6.6 per

[Brodie30]

6.6 per year for jay boew. I would imagine Florida made a similar offer. That's a nice price.

[KU Chris]

Bouwmeester avoids unrestricted free agency, agreeing to a 5 year deal worth $6.6 million per year against the salary cap.

[NJSwampdragon]

I still think we need to make a deal with Detroit for Hudler and sign him for around $3 million. Detroit is up against the cap and can't sign him.

[Will in Maine]

Gomez to Montreal in exchange for Higgins. This isn't old news is it, I just got home from work.

[TG]

Bouwmeester signed with for five years, $6.6 mil.

[Mike O.]

Lou didn't give a qualifying offer to Greene ($660K) because he probably believes he can sign him for about $100K cheaper later on.......