Goaltender Kevin Weekes likely won't be back with Devils

Kevin Weekes said he's not closing the door a return to the Devils, but the 34-year-old goaltender admits that he probably won't be re-signing with the team.

"That's the way it's looking," he said today via telephone from Toronto. "You never know in pro sports, but right now that's the way it looks."

So, it appears as if Yann Danis or rookie Jeff Frazee will be the Devils' backup goaltender in 2009-10. Although Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello left the door open for Weekes to return when he signed Danis on July 10, the sides have not been able to reach an agreement and Weekes is exploring other opportunities.

"There's other opportunities, but it's also just looking at a lot of different factors," he said. "Like Lou always says, free agency is always an interesting thing. It's an inexact science. You can't always retain all of your free agents and in my case I fulfilled my obligation. I think I brought a lot of value to the role and I played my role with pride, even though I didn't get to play as much hockey as I would have liked to have played even when Marty (Brodeur) was injured.

"I still played my role with pride and I approached my job the same way and still tried to contribute all of the same things and all of the intangibles in addition to playing well when the opportunity presented itself. There are obviously other guys out there in the marketplace, a couple of other guys that are also experienced guys that I guess are backups and are considered to be character guys and add value to the position and just looking at where those guys were compensated versus where I was, there was a gap there.

"As players we all try to maximize our earnings, but also do it in a way that's fair and do it in a way that's still value to the team, especially now being in a cap environment. So, that's something that I wanted to do, but, unfortunately, they weren't able to get to that. In the end I had to stay true to what I know my value is and what I see what a lot of my comparables are earning, especially now with escrow. The salary we get on paper isn't really the salary."

Weekes believes he was underpaid as an NHL backup in making $700,000 in 2008-09 (cap hit of $688,000 over two seasons on his contract). He points to the deal that former Devil Scott Clemmensen got from Florida (three years at an average of $1.2 million per season) and Atlanta backup Johan Hedberg (cap hit of $1.087 million) as comparables.

"So, the market is already in place," he said. "You always make concessions, but at the same time there's concessions and there's knowing your market value and your price. You can only go so far. Obviously, Lou knows that and we both feel that way. There's mutual respect."

Weekes is just looking for market value for what an experienced backup goaltender should earn. Weekes went 7-5 with a 2.42 goals against average in 16 games with the Devils in 2008-09 before spraining the medial colateral ligament in his left knee on April 3 against Tampa Bay. He said he is fully recovered now and would have been healthy enough to play in the second round of the playoffs if the Devils had made it that far.

"There are other guys that are comparables, guys who don't have my experience or my numbers career-wise or last year, and those guys are making cosiderably more money and that's really what the market calls for for that role," Weekes said.

Weekes said the Devils never made a specific offer, but they apparently spoke in general terms about a contract and were not on the same page.

"We didn't really get into offers," Weekes said. "My agent and Lou obviously have spoken and we got a chance to speak ourselves -- Lou and myself -- and, unfortunately, they weren't able to come up to the number that a lot of those guys who are comparables are at. They weren't able to come up to that number and unfortunately we weren't able to come to an agreement."

Weekes still has good feelings about playing for the Devils.

"I loved being a Devil and I feel vested in the team and want to see them do as well as possible," he said. "I'm close to a lot of guys in that locker room and want to see them do as well as possible whether I'm there or not there."

At this time, there is a limited market for free agent goaltenders in the NHL. There are others, such as Martin Biron, still looking for work.

"Right now, it's a saturated goalie market and that's the tough thing about the salary cap, too," Weekes said. "At this point, are there opportunities? Sure, there are opportunities. How many of them are there relative to what fair market would be? For a signing like mine, it's not something that's going to hamstring a team financially and you're going to get a lot in return. There comes a point in being fair and being as flexible as you can to try and help with respecting your market value and your experience and what you bring to the table to.

Weekes is trying to stay patient and keeping his options -- including going to Europe - open.

"At this point, I'm just really open minded. I've been in the league for parts of 12 years and I would love to continue playing in the league if the opportunities are fair and the opportunities make sense. And if the opportunities aren't where they should be, then I'll explore other options too."

I asked Weekes if he took the signing of Yann Danis as a sign that he wouldn't be back.

"That's a good question," he said. "I wasn't sure how to take it, but I'm happy for Yann. Hopefully, he gets an opportunity. He hasn't really had many chances in the league thus far. But I didn't really know how to take it. I didn't take it one way or the other. It's a business and you can't lose sight of that as a player."

Comments

[topshlf]

Yawn......Danis would beat out Weekes. Frazee should stay in Lowell where he can play and work on his game.

[Al]

That's too bad. Weekes is a great guy and a real team player. Good luck Weeksie!

[Henrik L]

Crybaby! He's useless, showed it quite a few times.

[RickyM2]

Well, we all liked Weekes being a Devil. But... Unfortunately, he had his chance to make his case, and Clemmer played spectacular. Not taking away from Weekes' effort, but he found himself being a back-up yet again.

I guess he felt inside that Clemmer would get a deal outside and he would naturally be re-signed as protocol. He'll be missed as a Devil.

Good Luck Weeksey!!!

[momo from Brooklyn]

topshlf
I am sorry my comment made you mad.I didn't know you are a teenager. I am glad you found the way to deal with you problems(dislike Zubrus)by calling names someone who is just expressing his opinion.
And if you think by doing that Zubrus will trade himself or scores 70 point next season then like I sad I am glad you found the way. I just hope that your intelligence level will develop soon enogh. Good luck!

[FOTC]

Weekes is a class act. He seems like a really smart guy too just by the way he speaks and what he has to say about the game. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in a front office role one day.

[brickwall30]

It's a business and in a Brodeurian (thanks doc emrick) day and age there really isn't place, especially in a salary cap environment, for a backup goalie to play 10-15 games and be paid 6 figure salary.

That said I will greatly miss Kevin Weekes. Weekes, as all those who ever met him will agree, was one of the nicest people you will ever meet. His extreamly articulate nature and love for the game and it's fans are the things that will stick with me the most about him, and it's those aspects of character that make me love being a fan of hockey.

The players we as hockey fans support are bar-none the most intelligent and respectful in all pro sports and Kevin Weekes was the epitome of both.

Best of luck in whatever your doing next Kevin!

[TG]

I have added the contract info on Cory Murphy in the Zajac post below. It's a one-year -- and as previously-stated- two-way deal with an NHL salary of $500,000. I don't have the figures on his AHL salary yet.

[.B.C.]

If Kevin Weekes isn't a class act, i couldn't tell you who is.

Good luck Weeksie.

[DevsfaninPGH]

Good luck, Weekes! Ditto, BC.

[Mugsy]

In the salary cap era it does not make fiscal sense to pay a backup goalie over a million dollars a year.
That being said, the Devils have lost one of the nicest and classiest players in the NHL.

[Charles Long]

About Zajac and the second line center problem... I think we learned two important things last year from 4 0n 4 play: Elias and Parise play great together and Zajac and Langenbrunner play great together. I keep hearing people say this player can't play center or whatever position because it's not their natural position. So, why does no one complain about Parise not playing center? True, he hasn't played center for the Devils, but I think that is because he was young, and they didn't want to force too much responsibility on him. I think he can handle it now, so here are my line choices which are a bit unusual.

Elias Parise Bergfors
Rolston Zajac Langs
Pikka Zubrus Clarkson
Pandolfo Pelley Halishuck

I think this makes us really balanced, and that third line would be nasty to play against, if Pikka is indeed as mean as everyone says. Plus it puts Rolston at LW, which everyone wanted. So, what do you think?

[Zack]

This makes me sad. I loved Weekes, he's a stand-up guy all around. Good luck Kevin, we appreciate the effort and enthusiasm you brought to the team. You are indeed correct about how you approached the role, you showed that pride throughout your two years as a Devil.

[george]

we dominated 4 on 4, we were one of the best teams in the league, and it was with those line combos, that is, elias and parise, zajac and langs, i don't think that messing up zzpops would kill our chemistry, these players already got it.

[Shimmy]

when weekes was on the canes, he cursed me out at the devils game, saying he banged my mom, and that i suck dick! good riddance kevin!

[murph]

@ charles long....

that would work if parise could play center but by doing that your breaking up our best line from last year..and zajac and parise play so well together and like playing together..by doing it you give rolston a chance to produce with guys who can get him the puck but i still wouldnt break up that line..either get somebody off the market to put in the center spot or bring in more youth

[Philly Devil]

Notice, anyone who put's down Weekes is a loser and a fake fan. Weekes is quite frankly solid...maybe at best in his career. The market for back ups is less than $900,000 and do you really think Sutter wanted to play Clemm as many games as he did. I like Kevin, he's a great soldier but it's more than time to move on.

Also, there is no question Frazee will be in Lowell full time this year and he should be this and next year.

[murph]

weekes was a great guy on the bench from what i could see and im sure he was great in practice and in the locker room..he wasnt the greatest in net but always put in 110% and i always respected him for that..good luck weeksie

[george]

Murph, I think I disagree, ZZpops had good chemistry, but I think that Elias and Parise together during 4 on 4 dominated more that ZZpops did 5 on 5. Yea, ZZpops was a great line, but that doens't mean that there can't possibly be a better line. And I think it is about time Parise got the chance to center. Plus, it seems to solve all our problems

[TG]

People forget that Sutter tried Parise at center for a few games in 2007-08 and that didn't really work. He wasn't terrible, but not as effective as he was at left wing.

I don't know if you mess around too much with a guy who scored 45 goals last season.

[danimal]

I just read this on the Fourth Period website:

Center Brad Richards' tenure in Dallas might be coming to an abrupt end, as the Stars are reportedly trying to trade him, according to the New York Post.

The Post has reported for several weeks that the Stars are looking to move Richards, who has two-years remaining on his contract, which includes a no-trade clause, that pays him $7.8 million per season.

What do you guys think? Thats a hefty contract....but maybe we can swap some of our bad contracts for Richards...so long as Dallas takes back less in salary, they may be agreeable to it.

[Maxwell]

Well said, brickwall30. Good luck Weekes.

[Matt T]

Is that thee Charles Long from the Prospects camp?

[Philly Devil]

The real problem here is that Brian Rolston was signed to play center. The man all but seems like he forgot to play the position and just want's to play LW. We sign Shanny and we have a loaded LW again and not enough center's. and then Tedenby next year? Elias might be on his move to center again. Thank you Petr Vrana (sarcasitc)!

PRoblem fixed easlity if Mr. Rolston would be what he was actually brought here to be and not his one dimensional slap shot from the point on the PP. True he did not play PK last year where he excels but Madden and Pando had great chemistry and Shanny is greta on the PK. Brian could've been a cneter on the PK, OPPS...he forgot how to play center.

[TG]

Word that Richards is available is nothing new. Ribiero is available too.
$7.8 million is a big contract.