New Jersey Devils: Nick Lappin Deserves A Call Up
By Nick Villano
With injuries plaguing the New Jersey Devils forwards, the team should consider a call up from the AHL. Nick Lappin is the only name the Devils should consider.
The New Jersey Devils are currently dealing with a spat of injuries, with Marcus Johansson out for an undistinguished amount of time with a concussion. Add Kyle Palmieri for at least one more game, and Travis Zajac for at least another month, it’s time for the Devils to consider bringing a forward up from the minor leagues.
The Devils went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night. That decision ended in a 6-3 loss. Clearly, that’s not the answer to the injury conundrum. The short-term answer should be bringing up Nick Lappin.
Lappin has seven goals in eight games for the Binghamton Devils. It’s almost like he took it personally the Devils didn’t choose to keep him on the opening night roster. He’s outplaying John Quenneville and Joseph Blandisi, who are the other two players with NHL experience in Binghamton. Lappin also plays right win, which could help the Devils ease in Palmieri when he returns.
Last season, Lappin was given more than a chance to prove himself. It didn’t go well. He had 43 games in the big leagues, and scored just four goals. However, nobody played well last season, especially anyone on the bottom six. It was a bad culture. This is a totally different team.
So, if the Devils are going to call up Lappin, they need to make another move. This all becomes easy if Johansson has to go on injured reserve. If not, then the Devils have to send someone down to the AHL to replace Lappin.
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Dalton Prout is the obvious choice here. He was awful in the last game he played, despite getting chance after chance. He had a -2, took another penalty, and really did nothing else. Prout just hasn’t shown the improvement we thought we saw in preseason.
Sure, we would love to see someone pick Ben Lovejoy on waivers, but with a contract paying $2.75 million for the next two seasons, that seems unlikely.
Don’t drop Stefan Noesen. Just don’t do it.
Lappin can bring that fire he’s shown in Binghamton to a Devils team that could use an extra spark. There are times where this team looks a little flat. The times are much fewer and farther between than it has been in years past, but they still happen. Lappin has been playing like he could be a game changer.