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Elias not interested in Devils’ captaincy

Patrik Elias

Patrik Elias

AP

After serving as the New Jersey Devils captain in the past, veteran forward Patrik Elias isn’t interested the club’s captaincy.

New Jersey is looking for a new captain after Bryce Salvador announced his retirement earlier this month.

“I’ve been in that position before,” Elias told Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record. “I think it’s a privilege, no question about it. I would consider it. I’m truly hoping it’s not my last year, but I think there are different guys that would be more suited for that.”

The 39-year-old, who is heading into the final year of his three-year, $16.5 million contract, isn’t completely over being stripped of the ‘C’ on the first day of Devils’ training camp in 2007 under then head coach Brent Sutter.

“It’s just the way it went,” Elias said. “I don’t think it was handled the proper way, not just from Brent Sutter. Not just from him. So, I didn’t want it after that. Maybe in a way, maybe when I had that C, you try to do too much maybe a little bit just because it’s not an easy role. You might not even recognize it, but subconsciously you might worry about things that maybe you shouldn’t. They put you in that role for a reason, because they like what they’ve seen, and you’ve got to keep doing the same things.”

After playing over 1,200 games, all with the Devils, Elias isn’t approaching training camp as if it’s his last in New Jersey.

“I hope not,” he said. “You never know. Whatever happens. If it is, it is. I still like to play, obviously. Time goes by quickly. I enjoy it and as long as I enjoy it, I’m not going to feel like I’m not going to play again.”