We’re thinking it’s mostly a numbers game that has New Jersey Devils‘ 2007 3rd round pick (#79 overall) Nick Palmieri(34) being reassigned to Albany on a couple of occasions. Starting the season with New Jersey, he has skated in 23 games posting 4 goals and 3 assists, but was a -7 plus/minus. No doubt he has to play better to stick with the team.
He’s in the final year of his entry level contract and can be called-up and reassigned without any fear of losing him through waivers.
He played 43 NHL games with them last year as a rookie and pocketed himself a nice 9 goals and 8 assists, while being a +9 player for what was a fairly terrible team. His totals were good enough for first on the team in rookie goal scoring.
In 14 AHL games this season he has just a couple of goals and one assist and is a -5. He seems like the type of player that has it in fourth gear most of the time when playing in the minors.
