New Jersey Devils top 20 brimming with pro-ready defensemen

[HF Article]

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An important summer approaches for the New Jersey Devils organization. With a plethora of free agents that may or may not be re-signed, the organization may give its minor league and junior prospects an opportunity to crack the NHL lineup.



New Jersey is well stocked in blueliners that are ready for the NHL. Alexander Urbom, Eric Gelinas, and Brandon Burlon have played well in Albany and should graduate to the NHL in the near future. Even the top prospects Jon Merrill and Damon Severson could challenge despite their lack of pro experience. Blake Pietila took a big step in his development, playing great two-way hockey for Michigan Tech and Team USA.… read more



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[MartyOwns]

cool article thanks

 

[Devils Trap]

Good read

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Really hoping we start to see some of these guys in Newark before October of 2014.

 

[Devils Dominion]

We need a fast skating & puck moving defenseman that can carry the puck out our zone with speed.

We have learned that is not Larsson's game and I don't think Merrill is that type of player.
Both can make great outlet passes but are not swift skaters.

Maybe Scarlett or Severson, we'll see.

Is Ben Johnson still considered a prospect?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Wait, isn't Merrill exactly that player? Also that has been Larsson's game at literally every level he's played until the NHL. They just have to let him do it so he can get experience and confidence doing it against the best players in the world.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

IMO Gelinas is more NHL ready than Urbom at this point.

Merrill, Urbom, and Gelinas all have a legitimate shot at making it out of camp.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm not sure if any of them have a chance to make the team this year out of camp. Unless they designate them as a number 7. I can see Urbom as a number 7 before Gelinas though. If we let Harrold and Zidlicky walk they'd still have to be a number 7 unless we get rid of one of Tallinder or Volchenkov.

Second best case scenario for me though if we must keep Volchenkov is to give one of those guys a spot, and make the Kremlin Kone the number 7. We know that will never happen though cause Pete loves his Kone.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Strong camp performances have led to Lou making moves before. I could see him waiting til after camp to try and move some defensemen, and honestly I think that's what happened last year too. Seeing Jokinen traded for peanuts kind of opened my eyes to how reluctant GMs were to add any salary last season.

 

[Rella17]

but why use them we have have Volchenkov and Sal

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Wait, isn't Merrill exactly that player? Also that has been Larsson's game at literally every level he's played until the NHL. They just have to let him do it so he can get experience and confidence doing it against the best players in the world.

I don't consider Merrill a puck skating dman. More of a puck mover.

Which is why some people on the boards might be disappointed with what Merrill brings once he arrives in Newark.

 

[MountainGoat]

Gelinas interests me the most

 

[Classic Devil]

IMO Gelinas is more NHL ready than Urbom at this point.

Merrill, Urbom, and Gelinas all have a legitimate shot at making it out of camp.

I don't actually agree. I think Gelinas has more potential, but Urbom is probably more prepared for the NHL game.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Some scouts had Gelinas as a first rounderon their boards back then

 

[Unknown Caller]

I don't consider Merrill a puck skating dman. More of a puck mover.

Which is why some people on the boards might be disappointed with what Merrill brings once he arrives in Newark.

He's not a great/fast skater like Rafalski, Neidermayer, Enstrom, Boyle, etc. but he's very mobile. I saw multiple occasions in Albany when he would skate the puck through the neutral zone, dump it in, and be the first one in on the forecheck in the corner.

 

[rrekaj13]

Gelinas looked like a man among boys at the summer camp last year. I didn't see him play throughout the year, which is obviously more important, but from what I've heard of his AHL year I think he could challenge for #7

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Get Volchenkov and Tallinder the **** outta here at some point in the near future so at least 1 of them (Gelinas) can make the team in the fall. Salvador should be gone after next year so another one can make it (Urbom/Merrill) but I doubt that happens since Lou is loyal as all hell. Christ, why did he give him a 3 year deal? Actually, depends on what happens with Zidlicky. Hope to god Lou doesn't give him multiple years come July.

 

[Bleedred]

Get Volchenkov and Tallinder the **** outta here at some point in the near future so at least 1 of them (Gelinas) can make the team in the fall. Salvador should be gone after next year so another one can make it (Urbom/Merrill) but I doubt that happens since Lou is loyal as all hell. Christ, why did he give him a 3 year deal? Actually, depends on what happens with Zidlicky. Hope to god Lou doesn't give him multiple years come July.

What I don't like about the Salvador captaincy is this. If he regresses badly in 14-15, and then decides at 39 years old that he doesn't wanna retire, then we will likely re sign him again until he feels like retiring. Barring some kind of fall off that makes Jay Pandolfo's look very miniscule, I think he will be back.

I don't mind Tallinder if we can get rid of the Kremlin Kone. The Kone would be fine as a 7th defensemen as I said, but no way Pete scratches him over Larsson, and Fayne, and whatever other young guy we have nightly.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I don't consider Merrill a puck skating dman. More of a puck mover.

Which is why some people on the boards might be disappointed with what Merrill brings once he arrives in Newark.

Why don't you consider him a "puck skating" defenseman? Do you think he doesn't skate well with the puck or that he just doesn't like to? What kind of PP QB doesn't skate with the puck?

From your very own HF:

Merrill is a solidly built two-way defender with outstanding poise and hockey smarts. He skates well in all directions, shows no fear in rushing the puck up the ice and can quarterback a power play with his great distribution skills and shot. While he’s still a little raw defensively, Merrill has gradually learned how to use his sizable frame to his advantage in his time at the University of Michigan. That being said, he mostly relies on his sound positioning and keen stick-work while defending.

 

[battlingBard56]

IMO Gelinas is more NHL ready than Urbom at this point.

Merrill, Urbom, and Gelinas all have a legitimate shot at making it out of camp.

Gelinas has played one game in the NHL and two seasons in Albany. Not even if you count his injury. He looked great in his brief NHL stint, but he also looked raw. Urbom will get a shot before Gelinas unless Gelinas outplays him at rookie/training camp

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Why don't you consider him a "puck skating" defenseman? Do you think he doesn't skate well with the puck or that he just doesn't like to? What kind of PP QB doesn't skate with the puck?

From your very own HF:

It's not his first option. You wouldn't rather your PP QB, you know, make passes to other players? Or you want him to just skate it around the offensive zone?

Never said he can't skate. But he makes a good pass.

Also not super physical too, but I'm afraid of any more backlash from all the scouts here.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I'm excited to see what Severson can do in the NHL. Obviously I doubt that will be this upcoming season but whenever he's ready it sounds like he could have a great impact on the team. As much as I would like Merrill to make the Devils out of camp this season, it would probably be best for his development to get another year in the minors in due to the suspension two years ago and then an injury last year. We should be set on defense for the foreseeable future but offense and goaltending have a lot of question marks and hopefully Lou addresses them quickly before they become a huge problem.

 

[BrodeursCups]

Merrill isn't physical at all and his mobility is similar to Larsson's. His ability to make a good first pass under pressure and creativity in the offensive zone are what I look forward to the most...

 

[NC107*]

It's exciting to read about our blue line strength however we still have Brodeur and Hedberg in goal along with the fact that our offense can't score goals. So unless there is a change in goal and on offense we will fail again. Sorry to tell the truth.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

It's not his first option. You wouldn't rather your PP QB, you know, make passes to other players? Or you want him to just skate it around the offensive zone?

Never said he can't skate. But he makes a good pass.

Also not super physical too, but I'm afraid of any more backlash from all the scouts here.

Oh ok I definitely agree he's a pass-first kinda guy. But he can skate with the puck and he does it quite well. And yeah he's definitely not physical. His D reminds me a lot of Paul Martin, though he's not completely adverse to taking the body like Martin was with the Devils.