NHL

Parise hopeful Devils won’t have to cut payroll

Devils captain Zach Parise, the NHL’s most-coveted trade deadline “rental” candidate, said he hopes the team doesn’t go down the payroll-cutting road if the league advances Jeff Vanderbeek’s ownership group with an infusion of money, as reported by The Post today.

“You hear about teams that, no matter what, they’re not going to spend to the cap,” Parise told The Post. “That’s just the way they are.

“It’s hard to be competitive if you’re not going to, if you can’t spend as much as these other teams.

“So if there’s a change, you hope that part won’t change, because we’ve always been a salary cap team.”

Parise could become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and command a long-term deal at $8 million per year, or more.

If the Devils seek to shed payroll, it seems doubtful they can keep their captain. Parise is the only Devil to score 30 or more goals in four straight seasons.

If that’s the case, the Devils may trade him by the Feb. 27 deadline, rather than get nothing for him on July 1.

Parise, 27, is third in Devils scoring this season with 15 goals, 24 assists (39 points) after missing most of last season because of right knee surgery.