New Jersey Devils Key Position Battles
By Ken Jones
As the preseason draws to a close, several roster spots remain to be sorted out. There are some key decisions facing the New Jersey Devils as they set their 23-man opening night roster.
In the world of professional hockey, the final culling of the training camp roster can be a significant rite of passage for a player. Or, the disappointment of a lifetime. It all depends on the outcome.
Looking at the process via a wider range prism, each fall NHL clubs need to make exceptionally tough decisions to finalize their 23-man squads. Balancing youth vs. experience, skilled players vs swift skaters, defensive ability vs. creativity and how players interact in the room, are but a few of the factors coaches and general managers must consider in their decision making process. The 2016-17 New Jersey Devils, like all teams, have some important calls to make. Here’s a look at each position.
Goaltender
We don’t need to discuss the starter. Nor do we need to discuss Anders Lindback. But selecting a backup is a difficult call.
In Keith Kinkaid, the club has a proven performer in the backup role. Blockaid has been solid, if not spectacular, in that position, generally providing a good performance. His career save percentage of .909 is quite good in my view considering his role. It’s not easy to come in and play once every three weeks and be super sharp.
Scott Wedgewood also broke through and played when injuries struck the Devils last year. And boy did he play well! What can you say other than citing a GAA of 1.25 and save percentage of .957. He was off-the-charts good! But, to be fair, it’s an awfully small sample size.
The Devils have two excellent options to back up Cory Schneider.
In my view, this is a really tough call. Wedgewood played unbelievably well in a short stretch, but that was in the role of a full-time starter. Could he do that in a scenario where #35 plays 65 games and he’s only in twice a month or so? I don’t know. That doesn’t mean I don’t think Wedgewood can do it, only that we literally don’t know. We do have empirical evidence that KK can adequately perform that function. That is important.
I think the Devils could go either way on this decision and not get it wrong. To me, perhaps the deciding factor is that you need to expose either player to waivers to send them to Albany. I think, only because Wedgewood is 24 and Kinkaid is 27 and Wedgewood had that superb week last year, I’d be more afraid of exposing Wedgewood. So my guess is they keep him. But it’s a close call.
Defense
My thoughts here are focused on Mr. Merrill, Auvitu and Santini. Andy Greene , Ben Lovejoy, Damon Severson, Kyle Quincey and John Moore are locks, in my mind. And I think it’s a given Helgeson is sent to Albany.
Considering each of the three…
It was just announced that Jon Merrill is out for four weeks with a broken finger. So, he’s obviously out of the mix for now. But, if he was healthy, I would share that I can’t say too much bad about Jon Merrill‘s game. Then again, I can’t say too much good about his game either. He’s pretty much average with his physicality, speed and positional play. Below average on the offensive end. I read last year someplace in an article about advanced statistics that he was a “low event player”. Not too many shots, hits, passes, possession, etc. I think that’s a perfect description for him. He’s truly mediocre. If it was my call, I’d keep him and slot him into the role of a seventh blueliner. Don’t think he’s any better than that, but do believe he’s a borderline NHL players and a good substitute. We’ll see what happens when he heals.
Let’s look at Yohann Auvitu vs. Steve Santini as a comparison of sorts. Because of Merrill’s injury, I believe both will make the team. But if the injury did not occur, this would be my opinion. I understand it might not go over well in Devils Land, where they seem to see Santini as the next rising star, but I’ve seen Auvitu play twice in person (Development Camp, Preseason at the Rock against the Rangers) and I’ve been really impressed. No defensive mistakes, poise on the puck, creative passes. On the other hand, Steve Santini is a player I’ve seen twice in person (final game of 2015-16 season and Development Camp) and once on television (MSG against the Rangers). I thought he was physical and solid against Toronto to close last season, but he was beat more than a few times at Development Camp and against the Rangers. My call would be to keep Auvitu and give Santini some time in Albany for seasoning before the inevitable injuries strike and Santini is recalled to Newark. But this call is obviously is based on a small sample size.
Forwards
Let’s start with the keepers. I think eleven forwards — Bennett, Cammalleri, Fiddler, Hall, Henrique, Josefson, Kalinin, Palmieri, Smith-Pelly, Zacha and Zajac – are givens.
Now, you might say “wait a minute, how could Pavel Zacha be on that list?” Again, this is just an opinion piece, but my opinion is that he was awesome against Toronto last April and awesome against the Rangers Saturday night. He plays all units, was really composed on his goal against the Rangers, and has the size, strength and reach to be a presence. See no reason to send him down.
Among the others, I would be inclined to send Miles Wood and Nick Lappin back to Albany (they are over 19) and Blake Speers (who is 19) back to the the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (Juniors). That is, by no means, meant to be an indictment on their talents. I think all three have really bright futures with the Devils. Lappin and Wood scored in the preseason, Speers looked really quick and skilled against the Rangers Saturday night, Wood played well for the USA in the World Juniors, and Lappin was a beast in the AHL playoffs last year with 5 goals in 11 games. But there is a numbers limitation of 13 or 14 forwards, and the reality of the situation is that you can’t keep everyone.
"The quality of competition for the final few roster spots at forward is significantly better than any time in recent memory for the Devils."
To complete this thought, I think the Devils need to give Reid Boucher and Joe Blandisi first dibs this season. Neither is a perfect player. Boucher’s skating is below par and Blandisi had a long dry spell and some youthful, minor issues with professionalism (diving) last year. But, each was not just a good scorer in juniors, they were elite scorers in juniors. 62 goals for Sarnia (RB) and 52 goals for the Barrie Colts (JB) are really impressive accomplishments. For an offensively-starved team like the Devils, their past achievements are not to be taken lightly.
Now, we all know lower level prosperity is not a guarantee of success at the NHL level (Where oh where have you gone, Mr. 2014-15 AHL MVP Brian O’Neil). But Boucher scored at a 41 point per season clip in the NHL last season because of his superior shot and puck presence, and Blandisi brings above average speed and a certain amount of energy and physicality to the table. I think you have to give them both a roster spot.
Next: Devils Sign Kyle Quincey
Summary
I didn’t bother tackling whether the 23 man roster should have 8 defensemen or 14 forwards. I’ll leave that to others, I don’t think it matters too much. Big picture, the talent pool looks much, much better than the prior few years. There are no Cam Janssen or PL3 players in the mix (I don’t believe Luke Gazdic will make the team, even once he is back from injury). Those competing for the final slots on the 2016-17 New Jersey Devils are leaps and bounds ahead of the likes of marginal talents who graced the Rock in the past such as Peter Harrold, Steven Gionta, and Tuomo Ruutul. Hopefully, it will be a year where the Devils get goals from all four lines, benefit from the infusion of youth into the roster, and forge their way into the postseason.