Feb 6, 2015; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Patrik Elias (26) salutes the crowd after being named the first star at Prudential Center. The Devils defeated the Maple Leafs 4-1. Elias scored his 400th career NHL goal in the game. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

New Jersey Devils: Ray Shero Has Three Glaring Holes To Fill This Offseason by Steve Ginter

Do The New Jersey Devils Tank For The Rest Of The Season?

Do The New Jersey Devils Tank For The Rest Of The Season? by Nick Villano

The New Jersey Devils’ season did not go as planned. After the trade deadline showed the team is looking to next season, it should sign Patrik Elias and make this season about his retirement.

Waking up from another shutout loss to the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils’ fans received some news everyone could get behind.

Tom Gulitti of NHL.com tweeted that Patrik Elias may try to play a few games before the end of the season. After everything Elias did for this franchise, he deserves 20 games that are all about him.

Obviously, Elias is not the player he once was. His last full season, he scored just 13 goals over 69 games. Last season, he was only able to play 16 games before a knee injury finished him off.

He said during a broadcast early last month that he wasn’t sure he wanted to work to the point that playing is possible. Devils play-by-play announcer Matt Loughlin said after the interview he felt Elias may be done.

That was then and this is now.

It seems 30 days later, his mind changed. General Manager Ray Shero told Gulitti, who is a former Devils beat writer, that he would talk to Elias about coming back as soon as next week.

The number 26 becomes the last number to go into the rafters of the Prudential Center for a long time. There are no other legends for the Devils who haven’t been honored, and the only current Devils who have a chance to make it in the rafters have about another decade of great play before they are seriously considered.

Want your voice heard? Join the Pucks And Pitchforks team! Write for us!

Elias could bring something the fans would love to see over the final 19 games. It would almost guarantee a sellout for every Devils home game.

This should be a no-brainer for everyone involved. It gives the Devils young core a chance to learn from one of the best in the history of the franchise. It would be great for the front office, because it shows they still appreciate the past while still looking towards the future. It’s great for the fans who get to see their hero play for a few more games they didn’t think they’d get.

Finally, it would put a high note on a terrible Devils season. Instead of remembering Taylor Hall’s first season in a Devils uniform as a colossal failure, fans can remember the idea of the past superstar forward playing with the future superstar forward.