Tagged: New Jersey Devils

08Apr

Stephen Gionta(11) New Jersey Devils

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6th year left wing Stephen Gionta(11) skated in 12 games with a slumping New Jersey Devils‘ team last season failing to register a point.

He hasn’t really had the best of all seasons this year with only 6 goals and 10 assists in 56 games with Albany but has done a nice job as team captain for the AHL team.

He was finally rewarded with his first recall and responded with his first NHL goal, which just so happened to be the game-winner.

No doubt, he’ll be either called back up or staying depending upon the Albany playoff fate.

He’s been with the Devils all six of his pro seasons and is only signed to another one-year, two-way deal. It will be interesting to see if he moves zip codes for 2012/2013.

22Feb

Mark Fayne(6) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ 5th round pick in the 2005 draft (#155 overall) defenseman Mark Fayne(6) has developed quickly into a full-time NHL blue liner.

Since his recall from their AHL affiliate Albany Devils last November, he pretty much only had to look back briefly once but hasn’t since.

In 2010/2011 he played career highs for games and scoring in his rookie year and this season is set to eclipse those marks.

He’s a big guy at 6’3″ 218 lbs. and he when he’s out there he plays a big-sized game and is accountable on the ice.

In the last year of his entry level contract, look for the Devils not to wait until the end of the year to sign him to an extension.

17Feb

Joe Whitney(9) Albany Devils

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joe-whitney-1

Undrafted rookie right wing Joe Whitney(9) signed his first pro contract, an AHL deal with New Jersey Devils to play in Albany late last summer and has been putting up points as soon as the 2011/2012 season got started.

In 46 games, he has 12 goals and 14 assists, which has him tied for the team lead in points and 1st at putting the puck in the net.

The 22-year old has to be one of the smallest guys in the league at only 5’6″ 170 lbs but he obviously knows how to find his way into the openings on the ice.

For the month of January, he earned the reGen® Recovery Beverage/AHL Performance of the Month Award.

He’s from Reading, MA and played 4 years for the BC Eagles winning two NCAA Championships with the team.

01Feb

Steve Bernier(25) New Jersey Devils

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steve-bernier

7th year winger, originally a 1st round pick of San Jose Sharks in 2003 (#16 overall), Steve Bernier(25) signed an AHL contract with Albany Devils in late October.

Before this season he only ever played 59 games in the minors as a rookie and in his 3rd year.

He’s skated 385 NHL games (76 goals and 83 assists) with the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and in 2010/2011 with Florida Panthers.

Not exactly the best totals for a former high draft selection.

At 6’3″ and 220 lbs., you got to think the 26-year old has plenty left to use that big frame and blossom into the power forward he was always pegged to become.

New Jersey Devils just stepped in and turned his contract into a big league one-year, two-way deal.

He made his 2012 NHL debut as the league reconvened post All-Star game and skated 18 shifts for 13:30 minutes of total ice, including some power play time.

He had one shot on goal and went a -1 plus/minus, which maybe wasn’t all that great but his team did win in the shootout.

18Jan

Brad Mills(17) New Jersey Devils

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5th year undrafted center Brad Mills(17) has only played in New Jersey Devils‘ system and appeared in games from the ECHL to the NHL.

He started the season on the opening night roster for New Jersey and spent 21 games with the team registering only an assist.

By late November, he was reassigned back to Albany. He had over 200 AHL games played through the 2011 season.

In 18 games, he got only a couple of goals and 5 assists never seeming to find his groove like he had for the last couple of years with Albany and Lowell Devils.

As the injuries pile up with the Devils, he gets called up to play in his 22 NHL game, a win. He skated 16 shifts for 11:07 of ice time. Unfortunately though, he went a -1.

07Jan

Steve Zalewski(15) New Jersey Devils

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steven-zalewski5

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 5th round pick in the 2004 draft (#153 overall) center Steve Zalewski(15) was dished to New Jersey Devils in the last year of his entry level contract in a four player trade. His numbers had dipped that season to the point where he fell from the depth chart.

He played 3 NHL games in the 2009/2010 season but failed to register a point.

As soon as he got to the Devils‘ AHL affiliate in Albany he regained his scoring touch and that continued into 2011/2012.

For his efforts he received his 1st recall and was dropped off by the team bus at a New Jersey truck stop to join the Devils for their game against Boston at the Prudential Center but only took warm-ups and was a healthy scratch.

He made his debut a couple of nights later, a 5-2 win for the team. No telling how long he’ll stay up in the NHL but if they keep winning, look for him to become a more permanent part of their lineup.

06Jan

Joe Sova(36) Albany Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ undrafted rookie defenseman Joe Sova(36) skated in 11 AHL games with Albany after his final college season was over.

He started his rookie year with Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL but was recalled in early December. In 11 games he has a couple of goals and a couple of assists and looks pretty comfortable and accountable out there.

Look for him to continue to move up the depth chart and potentially step into his first NHL even before the end of the current season. He’s fairly big at 6’3″ 190 lbs and is all of 23 years old.

 

02Jan

Nick Palmieri(34) Albany Devils

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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.

31Dec

Patrice Cormier (28)

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Center Patrice Cormier(28) was originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#54 overall) but before he could play a game with them he was involved in the blockbuster trade that would send Ilya Kovalchuk out of Atlanta for the first time in his pro career.

He’s most infamously known for putting a vicious elbow check to an opposing player while playing in his last season of juniors.

The hit got him suspended for the remainder of the season.

As a rookie, he played 21 games for Atlanta Thrashers registering one goal and one assist.

He also skated in 11 games with their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves picking up 2  goals and 3 assists.

After 28 games with St. John’s IceCaps (9 goals, 4 assists), he received his first recall by Winnipeg Jets.

His gritty play could find him a home with the team for the remainder of the season.