Scott Gomez informed he will not return to Devils
Scott Gomez’s second stint with the New Jersey Devils has appeared to have run its course. On Friday, the 35-year-old center was informed via his agent he would not be returning to the Garden State this upcoming season.
The move isn’t terribly surprising. With Lou Lamoriello loosening his grip on the team, allowing a new general manager and coach in to the fold, there were bound to be changes. GM Ray Shero likely doesn’t share the same goodwill towards Gomez as The Lou had in the past.
It’s not like Gomez had a terrible season, though. He recorded 34 points (7G, 24A) in 57 games played for a less than stellar Devils team. With this slight resurgence late in his career, Gomez believes he has a lot left in the tank that can be of benefit for another team.
From Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice:
“The thing also it says 35 on my age, but I didn’t play much the last couple years so the body is fresh as can be,” he said. “It’s not like I’m some old 35-year-old guy. I’m excited. I’m excited to take what I learned from [Adam Oats] last year and keep it going. There’s no question I can help a team out.”
New Jersey paid Gomez only $550,000 last season. It’s relatively cheap considering the production he had. It’s unlikely any team is going to pay much more than that for the services of a 35-year old. The output may be better, but it’s hard to erase the past from memory.
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Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter!
