Change that "A" to a "C" and what do we get? Still uncertainty on whether or not the New Jersey Devils can lock up Zach Parise at the end of his contract.

The New Jersey Devils have named Zach Parise their team Captain with Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias as Alternate Captains. Parise, who has played all 6 NHL seasons with the Devils, could be the face of the franchise for years to come. Or maybe not.

In the off-season Parise and the Devils had a shaky go at signing the young 27 year old to a multi-year deal. What looked like an inevitable arbitration hearing, the two sides finally agreed upon a 1-year, $6 million dollar contract. For Devil’s fans, this was a step in the right direction in keeping Parise long term. For all other hockey fans, it seemed likely Parise will become possible trade deadline bait in the upcoming NHL season and/or one of the top off-season free agents.  With the new Captaincy placed firmly on his chest, hockey fans are now left to wonder even more what the future holds for the star forward.

The Devils have named Parise Captain, for better or for worse, but in hopes of creating more of an emotional tie to the organization. In doing so, the team is hoping that they can avoid losing him to another team after his contract is up after this season. What surely is a ploy could very well come back and nip the Devils in the butt.

Not all players are cut out to be Captains, but that does not seem to be the case with Parise. Parise is a superstar and a genuinely good player with heart. When healthy, Parise can easily reach the 35+ goal mark, throw in about 45 assists, and you have yourself a perennial 80 point player. Like many sports, those who produce tend to be Captain.

Still though, the question of if Parise wants to play for the Devils has to come into play. Without a doubt Parise will give it his all as Captain for the Devils, but if he ends up moving to a new club, what are Devil’s fans supposed to think and feel? Are fans OK with that, or does it create a negative, hopelessness feeling inside?

The Devil’s organization are playing with fire by making Parise Captain. Maybe it will work out in their favor, they are the Devils after all. But maybe their decision will not. But hey, if the Vancouver Canucks can make a mistake naming goaltender Roberto Luongo Captain, the Devils can make one too.

On the surface, for Devil’s fans, this is excellent news. Filing for arbitration will look to have Parise play next season with the Devils. After sustaining an injury that took him out for the majority of the season, having his roughly 80 – 100 points a season could mean a lot to a team who missed the playoffs

It is unknown if the Devils look to ask for a reduced salary or are merely protecting their rights to Parise for a year. An arbitrator can reduce a players salary no more than 85% of his current salary, putting Parise at 4.25 million for next year. New Jersey keeps stating that their goal is to sign Parise long term, if so, having his salary reduced would be the last thing they would want to do.

Still though, with the Devils putting themselves in salary cap problems after after signing Ilya Kovalchuk for insane amounts of money, as well as having coaching problems, New Jersey may not look to be appealing to a stud like Parise. Parise, who currently is making 5 million, could easily ask for 7 million. New Jersey could meet his financial request but at a cost of not being able to sign enough depth players to make a go at the Stanley Cup. If talks are not going well between the two parties on a long-term deal, maybe it is in the best interest of the club to have his salary reduced and spend that money elsewhere.

It will be interesting to see what pans out, be it Parise signs for a long-term deal with the Devils or plays for one year and tests the free agency market. One thing that will tip off the Devils and Parise’s plans would be the arbitrator’s salary decision. If Parise plays next season at a reduced salary, expect Parise to be hitting the free agency in the 2012-2013 season.

Alex Tanguay may arguably be the most prolific free agent still available out of this years free agent pool. Tanguay, who won a cup with Colorado in 2001, is rumored to be asking for a figure in the ballpark of $5 million per season.

Tanguay has posted several productive seasons in his stints with the Avalanch and Calgary Flames. Tanguay has posted 50 points or more seven times in his career. In 2005-06, the left wing netted a career-high 29 goals and finished the season with 78 points. The next season, Tanguay added to his point total by tallying 81 points with the Calgary Flames. However, his production dipped the next season with the Flames to 58 points.

In an injury-shortened season with the Montreal Canadiens in 2008-09, Tanguay posted 41 points in 50 games. However, his unwillingness to play in the playoffs made many question his work ethic and the stability of his nagging shoulder injury that sidelined him for 32 games. Critics of Tanguay’s play often call him “soft.”

Several other teams are rumored to be looking at Tanguay. Rumor has it that Tanguay has spoken with the New York Islanders about a contract offer. Other interested teams include the Tampa Bay Lighting, Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators.