PITTSBURGH – It has been two months and Colin White’s blurry vision may not improve much more. He’s considering playing against the Penguins here tonight, but even if he doesn’t, the time is near. He needs to know, and so do the Devils.
His career hangs in the balance because of the puck that smashed his right eye in practice Sept. 19. There is probably permanent damage, but White clearly wants to resume playing.
The issue is whether his vision will be good enough to permit it. When he does return to action, he’ll have 20 games to decide if he can do it. After his 21st game, he will be deemed to have passed the test and will no longer be eligible for permanent disability benefits, a major financial consideration.
Among the Devils’ deficiencies this season has been their defense, and White entered camp as one of their two top backliners. His absence has left another major hole to fill, New Jersey already unable to deal with the free agent defection of Brian Rafalski. White would be their biggest physical presence on the backline, and foes have run amok around the front of the Devils’ net.
If White, making $3 million, isn’t able to resume his career, the Devils will have to replace him or endure a season of struggling. Sources say the Devils have already looked around, just in case.
One glaring possibility would be Phoenix’s Ed Jovanovski, who used his no-trade clause to turn down a trade to the Islanders this summer. Jovanovski is struggling with the struggling Coyotes, although Newark might hold little more appeal than Nassau. The Coyotes have been scouting Devils games, along with those of other Eastern teams, and it’s not for strategic purposes, since the teams don’t meet this season.
Jovanovski makes $6 million per, long-term, but for this season, the Devils could write-off $2.25 million of that through the long-term injury exemption if White retires, assuming he plays the 20-game trial. By the time White would decide, the season would likely be half-done, and so would half of Jovanovski’s salary. With the Devils at some $46 million towards the $50.3 million cap, they have room then, even without White retiring and using the LTI exemption.
The Devils hope they don’t have to take such steps, that White will return and be an important player, even if his full mask and his injury limit his physical play.
But they have to find out, and so does White.