"Even before Jamie Langenbrunner was traded Jan. 7, Zach Parise was viewed by his teammates and many inside and outside the organization as the likely successor to Langenbrunner as the Devils' captain.

Parise was recovering from knee surgery at the time, and made it back for only one game in April, so there was no need to rush to name him captain last season. At this point, however, it remains uncertain if Parise will be given the "C" before the team's 2011-12 season opener.

If Parise had signed a long-term extension, as both sides hoped, the decision would be a no-brainer. But, because he settled for a one-year contract and remains eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2012, that might be reason to delay a while longer.

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello plans to continue talking with Parise's agents about a long-term deal, but, per the collective bargaining agreement, Parise wouldn't be permitted to officially sign an extension until Jan. 1. And if Lamoriello has any doubts that he can get a deal done that prevents Parise from leaving next summer, he might be hesitant to hand him the "C.""