Keith Kinkaid
The New Jersey Devils made the surprising move this season of signing Keith Kinkaid to a two-way deal, allowing him to remain with the Chicago Wolves. The Devils would be able to call up Kinkaid at any point during the season, and they would own his NHL rights (in case another team wanted to claim him).
Kinkaid played during the preseason, but he only got 12 minutes and made seven saves. He was sent through waivers back to Chicago, and the Devls never heard from him again. Kinkaid battled injuries this season, and despite all their struggles, the Devils never had the urge to call him up.
That's because things were a mess in Chicago. It wasn't all his fault, but the facts are the facts. Kinkaid finished the season with an .880 save percentage. This was a Wolves team that didn't have an NHL affiliation, so the team was not good, but Kinkaid should have been better than this.
How bad does Kinkaid want to stay in hockey? We're sure a team will bring him in for veteran experience, but it's possible he could end up in the ECHL. He would also get a job in Europe, but that's a big ask for a player holding on for an extra year or two. We see it as just as likely Kinkaid retires. We will remember that 2018 run fondly, where he and Taylor Hall carried the Devils to the playoffs.