NEWARK -- It seemed strange hearing Patrik Elias call the Devils "they" and "them" as he cleaned out his locker at Prudential Center Monday morning.
But Elias, who turns 40 Wednesday, said it wasn't a slip of the tongue indicating that his career was over. He'd still like to come back for more more season.
"They played way more than I did. I didn't help them that much, so that's why I said 'they' and 'them,' " Elias explained.
Elias, who knows he may have played his last game for the Devils no matter what his wishes, admitted it would tarnish things a bit if he played for another team.
"A little bit. But at the same time, I think my final decision is going to rely a lot on what Ray (Shero) is going to indicate," Elias said. "Then I'll talk to my agent and see if there are other teams (interested) and wait until July.
"But, yeah, after all these years, I enjoy being around this team. With these coaches I think it's an exciting time and I like where it's going."
He hopes the process doesn't drag on all summer.
"I hope they'll be honest with me. And I'll be honest with them," Elias said of Devils' management. "They know my situation. I understand it's not going to be an easy decision to be made. But I'm a big boy. I've dealt with a lot of decisions, a lot of conversations.
"There doesn't have to be too much thinking behind it. You either do or you don't (want me back). It could change by July when we see who is coming in and who isn't, but you just want an indication of whether there is a chance or not. If there is no chance, I have to make a decision of how do I go about the process next?
"I believe I can still help the team. But I understand it's a risk. You don't want to have a guy playing 10 or 15 games a season. The knee felt better than I expected."
* * *
As expected, the Devils assigned Reid Boucher, Joe Blandisi, Pavel Zacha and Damon Severson to Albany (AHL).
Defenseman John Moore said he will not play for Team USA in the world championships in Russia because he is "a little banged-up." Moore is also getting married this summer.
Rich Chere may be reached at rchere@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Ledger_NJDevils. Find NJ.com on Facebook