With Jon Merrill now injured again, the door is open for either Steve Santini or Yohann Auvitu to make the New Jersey Devils opening night roster.
As per NJ.com, defenseman Jon Merrill will be missing the next 4 weeks with a broken finger. Although you obviously never want to see a player get hurt, this may be a blessing in disguise for the New Jersey Devils.
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Jon Merrill still hasn’t given Devils fans a reason to trust him the past few seasons with his propensity for turning the puck over and getting burned by opposing forwards. Not to mention, he’s always hurt. It just may be time to turn the page. With the signing of free agent Kyle Quincey, the Devils added last-minute veteran depth on defense. But, with Merrill now out, there is at least one open spot, most likely in the bottom pairing. That void creates a great opportunity for either Steve Santini or Yohann Auvitu to make the opening night roster.
We knew that with Adam Larsson gone, the Devils were going to have to rely on young defensemen this season. For Santini and Auvitu, it looks like they could be getting their chance even sooner than we thought. It’s a combination of circumstance, as well as ability. Although both are rookies with just 1 game of NHL experience combined, each has shown that they have what it takes to play in the NHL and impressed this preseason. Both are also trying to make the jump to the NHL without any minor league experience, Santini from college hockey and Auvitu from the Finnish league.
Santini, the Devils 2013 second round pick, played four years for powerhouse Boston College in the Hockey East. A strong, stay-at-home defenseman who plays physical, Santini plays the type of game that might remind you of a player like Larsson. On the other hand, Auvitu, named the top defenseman in the Finnish league last season, plays a more offensive-minded game, and actually leads the Devils in points this preseason with five assists. It will be interesting to see how the 27-year old rookie adjusts to the NHL playing on the smaller rink after playing on European rinks his whole life. Now with less time and space to make decisions, we’ll see how he reacts. So far, so good.
Yes, Seth Helgeson is in the picture, but he really belongs in Albany. He brings a physical presence and has some NHL experience, but that’s about it. Not to mention, as a left-handed shot, he would make the most sense to be sent back down. A lot is up in the air right now and the defensive lineup is still very fluid, even with just one preseason game left. It really depends what kind of defenseman John Hynes is looking to fill Merrill’s spot. Santini and Auvitu are both talented, but very different players.
All things considered, Kyle Quincey still hasn’t made an appearance in a game this preseason, so it’s possible that both Santini AND Auvitu make the opening night roster. Besides that, the Devils may end up deciding to keep 8 defensemen on their NHL roster, which would mean that Santini, Auvitu and Helgeson would stick around. We shall find out in the next few days.
Can either of these guys break through and show they can stick in the NHL? We’ll see. Just expect growing pains, and trust in this rebuilding process. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen in one season. Competition between players is a good thing, and the Devils will be relying on their youth to take that next step.
Again, you hate to see a player get hurt, but with how unproductive Merrill has historically been, this is a great opportunity for one of these rookies to step up. Which player do you think deserves to make the opening night roster in Merrill’s absence?