After finishing second among all defensemen in playoff scoring, Bryce Salvador has cashed in.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the 36-year-old has signed a three-year, $9.5 million deal to stay in New Jersey for the foreseeable future.
Salvador, who has been with the Devils since 2008, was the unlikeliest of heroes during his club’s unlikely Stanley Cup finals run.
He scored four times in 24 playoff games after going goalless during 82 regular season games, and became the first player in NHL history to score a goal in a Stanley Cup Final after playing in 80 or more games and not scoring a goal in the preceding regular season. (Source: Elias Sports Bureau)
Devils head coach Peter DeBoer had nothing but praise for his veteran rearguard, saying Salvador was “outstanding” throughout the postseason.
Salvador’s new deal has an annual cap hit of $3.17 million, a slight bump over the $2.9 million on his last deal. While it won’t make New Jersey any younger -- he was the third-oldest Devil on the roster last season behind Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg -- it will solidify the back end and provide mentorship for youngsters Adam Larsson and Alexander Urbom.