The New Jersey Devils are hitting a slight low point in their season. They’ve lost three games in a row, and they just got shut out again at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings. The secondary scoring has dried up, with players like Erik Haula, Paul Cotter, and Dawson Mercer failing to live up to the expectations, even if they are lower than the stars like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt.
The Devils will likely make a trade to upgrade the forward group, but that’s probably going to wait. Tom Fitzgerald doesn’t want to overpay, and right now, teams will wait unless it’s an overpayment. In the interim, the Devils should look to the AHL for upgrades, and there are some interesting names who should get a call up.
1. Adam Beckman
Points in Utica: 17
The New Jersey Devils made a shocking move this offseason when they traded prospect Graeme Clarke to the Minnesota Wild for Adam Beckman. Beckman was once very highly touted prospect in their organization. He was given multiple shots in the NHL because they thought he would have a large impact, but it never worked out. He has 23 NHL games and zero goals. That’s not what you want.
He also hasn’t done much in the AHL. He has never hit 40 points in an AHL season. This season, he’s on pace for 53 points. Beckman is tied for the team lead in points, and he’s been playing really well as of late.
The 23-year-old is having his best professional season, and he deserves another shot at NHL glory. The Devils need offense, and Beckman has contributed that to a team that has been desperate for offense. Think he could do the same for the main team desperate for offense? It’s worth a shot.