NHL

Cap crunch leads Devils to buy out Volchenkov

The Devils became the next team in line to do something they previously had not anticipated in the wake of next season’s salary cap being lower than expected.

On Monday, general manager Lou Lamoriello used his second and final compliance buyout on defenseman Anton Volchenkov, thus voiding his $4.25 million annual salary-cap hit for the next two seasons. Volchenkov, 32, struggled to stay healthy during his time in New Jersey, which started when he signed a six-year, $25.5 million deal on July 1, 2010.

He will receive two-thirds of his remaining money ($5.67 million) spread out over the next four seasons, and none will count toward the cap. When free agency opens on Tuesday at noon, he will be unrestricted to sign with whomever he wants, except the Devils.

On Friday, before the first round of the draft, the league announced the salary-cap ceiling would be $69 million, about $2 million less than its winter projections. That left many teams in difficult spots, and as the Devils have many holes to fill, it also apparently left Lamoriello with the idea he needed the space occupied by Volchenkov.

Going into the free-agent market without Volchenkov’s cap hit, Lamoriello finds his team about $13 million under the cap. The whole of the fourth line from the past three seasons — Ryan Carter, Steve Bernier and Stephen Gionta — are all unrestricted, as is defenseman Mark Fayne.

Then, of course, there is Martin Brodeur. The future Hall of Fame goaltender is unrestricted and going to test the open market. He reportedly has heard from a handful of teams, including the Maple Leafs, whose new president, Brendan Shanahan, confirmed as much at the draft.

The Devils had used its first amnesty buyout on goalie Johan Hedberg, and has next season’s starter in place with Cory Schneider, whom they traded for at last year’s draft.