Colin White

With the signing of free agent defenseman Colin White, the San Jose Sharks’ blue line is now solidified, at least on paper. The question will be whether the teaming with new defensive acquisitions Brent Burns and Jim Vandermeer will crystallize on the ice.

We are getting close to the date of no return, where all NHL teams are required to be under the mandated salary cap of $59.4 million.  With GM Lou Lamoriello not indicating what he may do to get his team under the cap, we are all left to wonder what he will eventually do.  The Devils currently have 19 players on their roster, and are already $2,245,832 over the cap (before bonuses are factored in.

Multiple reports are suggesting Marc Staal and the Rangers are very close on a contract extension. Some say the deal could get done tonight.

My take: The sooner this gets done the faster both sides can move on and get ready for the season.

The deal that seemingly took forever, is now complete.  Ilya Kovalchuk is now signed to be a New Jersey Devil for the next 15 years. It only took the National Hockey League and Players Association to change the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement to make it happen, but there's no need to relive the whole saga.  Devils fans can celebrate knowing they will have Kovalchuk around to watch and admire his unique s

Now that the New Jersey Devils officially own the rights to Ilya Kovalchuk, they are approximately $3 million over the cap. The Devils will now have to go the trade route to shed some salary.

The most likely trade candidates appear to be Bryce Salvador, Colin White, Brian Rolston, and Dainius Zubrus.

According to TSN, ESPN, and pretty much every other media outlet out there, the NHL will approve the Ilya Kovalchuk contract, which means for the first time this offseason, Kovalchuk is officially a member of an NHL team.