Note the date. For the first time since the NHL salary cap began back in 2005, the Devils are out of trouble.
Until next week, that is, when Zach Parise will have a contract.
For the moment, general manager Lou Lamoriello can breathe easy as he closes in on Wednesday’s binding arbitration hearing for Parise. He has some $8.5 million in effective space, and that should cover Parise, whether the sides work out a contract or go through with the hearing.
The sudden space windfall is the result of Lamoriello freeing $3 million in room by shipping Brian Rolston and his undemotable $5 million hit to the Islanders yesterday for right win Trent Hunter and his $2 million charge.
Rolston’s contract, four years for $20.25 million as an over-35, was a millstone around the team’s neck, because its cap hit wouldn’t vanish via demotion. With just one year remaining, with Rolston coming off a run of 35 points in his last 40 games and with the Isles still needing another $6 million in payroll to reach the cap floor, the stars aligned.
“I feel great about the trade,” said Rolston, who waived his no-trade clause July 1. “I’m super-excited about going to a good organization with a lot of good, young players. I’m going to get a great opportunity to play the capacity I want.
“With what happened last year, I was ready to move on, and so were the Devils.”
Lamoriello has had constant cap headaches that have prompted the losses of Jeff Friesen, Dan McGillis, a first-rounder with Vladimir Malakhov, Richard Matvichuk, a $3 million fine and forfeiture of a first-rounder. Rolston’s undemotable contract was among the problems that left the Devils playing a short lineup early last season.
“Brian, to me, was not a risk. I still don’t think he was. Just because it didn’t work out doesn’t mean it was wrong,” Lamoriello said of bringing back the team’s 11th overall pick in 1991. “I was as unlikely to [sign an over-35 multiyear] then as I am now.”
The deal remains contingent on Hunter passing a physical after undergoing knee ligament surgery last season. Hunter, 31, played just 17 games for the Islanders last season, suffering a torn MCL. He has 99 goals 130 assists in 459 games, all with Long Island.
Trying to shed his contract last season because of their cap headaches, the Devils waived Rolston during last season. Failing that, they then offered Rolston on re-entry waivers, on which they’ve have to pay half his salary and absorb half his hit while he played for another team. There were no takers.
Rolston came back strong from those indignities with 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in New Jersey’s final 40 games.
“That was the first time in a Devils jersey I got an opportunity to play on the top two lines,” Rolston said. “It was very difficult to get waived after being sought-after as a free agent.
“The second half was vindication for me.”
The Islanders “are probably ready to take the next step to the playoffs and be a real contender,” Rolston said. “The Devils are always going to be a good team. They have a great organization. It’s a chapter yet to be written as to what wil going to happen. They have all the pieces.
“I’m not going to say anything bad about the Devils.”
Lamoriello would not predict how Hunter will fit in, noting his size and strength, and how well he scored against New Jersey.
For now, the team’s focus is on signing Parise, who could leave as an unrestricted July 1, 2012.
“We’re certainly working as hard as we can to get it done,” Lamoriello said.
For once, he seems to have enough cap space.
mark.everson@nypost.com