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New Jersey Devils: John Quenneville Deserves Spot On Roster

By Nick Villano

BERN, SWITZERLAND - OCTOBER 01: #92 Gaetan Haas of SC Bern vies with #47 John Quenneville of New Jersey Devils during the NHL Global Series Challenge Switzerland 2018 match between SC Bern and New Jersey Devils at PostFinance Arena on October 1, 2018 in Bern, Switzerland. (Photo by Robert Hradil/NHLI via Getty Images)
BERN, SWITZERLAND - OCTOBER 01: #92 Gaetan Haas of SC Bern vies with #47 John Quenneville of New Jersey Devils during the NHL Global Series Challenge Switzerland 2018 match between SC Bern and New Jersey Devils at PostFinance Arena on October 1, 2018 in Bern, Switzerland. (Photo by Robert Hradil/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The New Jersey Devils announced their final 23-man roster on Tuesday night. John Quenneville deservedly made the roster.

It’s been four years since John Quenneville had his first training camp with the New Jersey Devils. It’s been four fights for a roster spot, fights that ended in failure for the second cousin of Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville. This has been quite the journey for the Devils newest forward.

That’s right, the Devils chose to keep Quenneville on their roster for opening night. It’s great for the Devils, and it is even better for Quenneville.

During the course of the preseason, Quenneville went up against Michael McLeod, Nick Lappin, Joey Anderson and Brett Seney for that last spot on the roster. At least, it became a last spot when the Devils claimed Jean-Sebastien Dea off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

We’ve seen Quenneville fight every single season. He tried his best to prove himself at every turn. He showed up to the team’s prospect development camp every single year. He would play alongside teenagers in the yearly Prospect Challenge. Quenneville never once said boo about the situation he was in.

Quenneville spent the last two seasons with the Albany/Binghamton Devils. He was injured for parts of last season, but still matched his goal total of 14 in 15 less games.

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Quenneville looked great this preseason alongside Miles Wood and Travis Zajac. His shot is one of the best on the team already, and he’s 22 years old. We’ve been waiting for Quenneville to join the Devils youth movement, he just needed the perfect situation. This is literally it. Zajac’s main function at this point of his career, to set up the young kids. Add someone with the speed of Wood to someone with the shot of Quenneville, and you have a very good third line.

The Devils haven’t confirmed that Quenneville will start the season in the lineup, he could be the extra forward, but with the chemistry he had with Zajac and Wood, it would be surprising if he ended up in the owner’s box on opening night. Dea still needs some time to get acquainted with the style of the Devils.

Quenneville worked hard, and got better every year. He deserved the news he got today. It’s not a move for good. If he doesn’t play well the Devils could choose to sit him, but right now he’s getting the shot he deserves.

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