In a bit of a shocking move, New Jersey Devils decide not to qualify fourth year net minder Ken Appleby(41) after he was one of the few players each season to play in three different leagues.
The big goalie made his NHL debut in a pair of relief efforts and one start.
He was able to post a 1.45 GAA and .945 SV% with an 0-1 record but was returned to affiliate Binghamton Devils, where he did his best to backstop an abysmal, bottom dwelling club with a 10-13-2-2 mark and a remarkable 2.76 GAA and .901 SV%.
For a third straight campaign he also guarded the cage in two ECHL games with Adirondack Thunder and came away with a 2.03 GAA and .922 SV%.
Not sure how these numbers didn’t add up, unless they feared paying him heading into a first restricted free agency.
Sometimes that’s a strategy used by the big league club before getting into a contract negotiation but this time it didn’t work out that way and the 23-year old signed an AHL contract with Manitoba Moose.
He will likely score an invite to Winnipeg Jets‘ training camp and could impress enough to come away with a deal.