New Jersey Devils: 5 Predictions Coming Out Of Training Camp

McLeod, Kuokkanen, and Boqvist will be in the opening night lineup

When it comes to a strange year for training camp, it’s hard for players to stand out. The Devils will be taking long looks at certain players. The Devils players fighting for a spot include a lot of players with NHL experience. Michael McLeod, Janne Kuokkanen, Jesper Boqvist, Nathan Bastian, Brett Seney, Ben Street, Nick Merkley, and Brandon Gignac (among the forwards). Add to that Nolan Foote, Mikhail Maltsev, and Yegor Sharangovich who are all going to be well into the fight for a spot.

The Devils are more than likely going with a player they have expectations for over a surprise this season. Based on the shortened season and the way the schedule bears out, the Devils might be using this season to evaluate the future. Of the players the Devils will be evaluating, the three who have NHL aspirations with them being very up in the air are Boqvist, Kuokkanen, and McLeod.

Boqvist was given a chance to be a full-time NHL player last season, but he didn’t do much to prove he earned it. So, the Devils put him in the owner’s box until the rules with his SHL contract ran out and he could go to the AHL. After a rough start in the minors, by the end of the season, he looked like the best player on the ice. He feels like a lock to make the roster.

McLeod is a much different situation. He’s been given two chances to become an NHL regular, and he has yet to score a goal in 33 games. In the AHL, he’s had 23 points in 47 games. Under a half-point per game in the minors does not spell good news for his future. The Devils need to know once and for all what they are doing with him after this year. His contract is up, and the Devils could move on from the former 1st-round pick if he can’t hang. They will want him to play in the NHL at least until the AHL season starts just to see what they have.

Kuokkanen is a different case. The Devils could have him spend the entire season in the AHL, but he’d still have some upside to be a permanent part of the roster. He’s only 22 years old. The Devils only got a limited look at him after he came over in the Sami Vatanen trade. He had 48 points between the Binghamton Devils and Charlotte Checkers last season. Still, the Devils want a good look at their asset, and at least at first, that will be in the NHL.