Brendan Shanahan is a New Jersey Devil -- sort of.
The unrestricted free agent winger is joining the team, but has yet to agree to terms on a contract and it isn't clear at this point when that will happen or when he will be ready to play a game with them.
"Brendan Shanahan has agreed in principle to join the New Jersey Devils," general manager Lou Lamoriello said in a statement. "He will begin skating on his own.
"Brendan will join the team at a date to be determined."
Shanahan began skating in New Jersey on Saturday and the details of him officially becoming part of the team will be worked out in the days to come. The Devils are in Los Angeles starting a six-game road trip.
Shanahan, drafted second overall by the Devils in 1987, spent the previous two seasons with the New York Rangers but was not offered a contract to remain with the club.
''I had no desire to leave my team, but it didn't work out,'' Shanahan said. ''That's sometimes the way it goes in a salary cap business. I had a great two years there.''
The 39-year-old became a free agent after last season and was planning on returning to the Rangers for at least one more campaign. Rangers general manager Glen Sather repeatedly told him to hold on as the team could make room for him.
After four months of waiting, he decided to move on and his agent Rick Curran began listening to offers from other clubs.
In 20 NHL seasons with the Rangers, Devils, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers and St. Louis Blues, the three-time Stanley Cup champion has 650 career goals and 690 assists in 1,490 games.
