Ray Emery's path to an NHL comeback is now clear. After suffering from avascular necrosis, a disease that killed bone in his hip and ultimately led to the end of his stay with the Philadelphia Flyers a year ago, Emery has recovered and will attempt a comeback with the Anaheim Ducks organization.
Ray Emery Signs With Anaheim Ducks; Must Clear Waivers Before Joining Team
The Ducks signed Emery to a two-way contract on Monday morning. He’ll start his comeback effort with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch as he gets himself back into hockey shape. Since he’s an NHL veteran, Emery must clear waivers before being assigned to the AHL. He won’t have to clear re-entry waivers if the Ducks try to call him back from the Crunch later this season.
The deal will earn Emery a salary of $500,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL level. Those numbers are surely pro-rated since the minimum NHL yearly salary is $525,000.
Why would Emery sign a two-way deal like this? For starters, it might be his only shot at getting back into the NHL, since clubs certainly want him to prove his health before giving him an NHL contract. Also, signing a one-way contract would only give Emery two weeks of conditioning time with Syracuse, and it’s possible he feels that he needs more time than that.
Just about a year after thinking his hockey career might be over, Emery’s getting a second chance at an NHL career again. It’s going to be pretty hard not to root for him to complete the comeback.
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