Rumor: Devils cap space could net them a big return on P.K. Subban.

Veteran defenseman P.K. Subban has bounced around quite a bit in recent years and it sounds like at least one writer believes that he could very well be bouncing around some more in the relatively near future. 

The biggest knock against Subban over the past few years has been his contract. Subban signed a massive 8 year deal worth $72 million when he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens, a deal that works out to an average annual value and cap hit of $9 million per season. That is a huge price tag for any defenseman and it becomes all the more ridiculous when you factor in that Subban's performance took a huge hit last year.

Subban was awful with the Devils last season and I don't think it is any stretch to suggest that it was the worst season of his professional career, perhaps barring the 2012 - 2013 NHL season where he suffered a serious injury. Subban managed just 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points over 68 games and collected a plus minus rating of -21 on the season as he watched his Devils fall well short of the playoffs. His value is no doubt at an all time low and there is no world in which a team would accept to take on his deal ay $9 million, so how then could he be moved in a trade? 

In a recent article NHL analyst Ryan Dixon has suggested that the Devils could actually flex some of their available cap space to entice a team into taking on Subban at a significant discount in exchange for more long-term assets. Although Subban carries a cap hit of $9 million the Devils could retain as much as 50% of that deal, and at $4.5 million per season Subban suddenly becomes a much more attractive option. With over $17 million in projected cap space there's no question the Devils can afford to do it, the question simply becomes what is the market for Subban like at a cap hit of $4.5 million? 

Subban himself would no doubt love a chance to prove himself once again on a competitive team and at 31 years of age he should still be within the prime of his career. He shoots from the right which is always an asset in the NHL, and has just 2 years left remaining on his deal. The length of his contract makes him a low-risk option, one that could potentially be moved again at the trade deadline, and also would give a team a quality asset to expose in the expansion draft as well. 

I think this one may be something of a long shot, but there are enough factors here that I do not believe it is outside of the realm of possibility. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.