Joey Anderson, LW/RW (NHL)
Unlike Merkley, Joey Anderson is a homegrown forward the New Jersey Devils drafted 73rd overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He’s split the last two seasons between the NHL and AHL, garnering four goals and seven points in 34 games in the NHL last season, and has appeared in four contests with the New Jersey Devils this year. Anderson had 15 goals and 34 points in 44 games with Binghamton before his recent callup, and was a huge proponent behind the team’s recent surge in play that included an eight-game winning streak.
Although it’s only been four games and his callup was due to injuries on the current Devils roster, Anderson’s ice time has been relatively limited. He’s primarily played on the fourth line with depth forwards like Kevin Rooney and John Hayden, which isn’t ideal for his development. On a post-trade deadline New Jersey Devils roster, Anderson could slide into any openings among the offense’s top nine, where he’ll be with better players, which would be ideal for growing his game. He already has a jumpstart over someone like Merkley or other callup-worthy forwards in Binghamton since he’s presently with the big team, and showed flashes of his offensive ability last year.