Jon Merrill, one of the many young defensemen hoping for a spot on the Devils (nj.com)

During the preseason most of the intrigue comes from what younger players will step up and earn roster spots with the big club.  For New Jersey, the lion’s share of this intrigue will come on defense given the fact GM Lou Lamoriello all but promised a young defenseman would make the team this year.  What’s interesting about that statement is the fact on paper the Devils’ defense already seems to be set after UFA’s Marek Zidlicky and Peter Harrold both re-upped with the team (Zidlicky for one year at $4 million per, Harrold for two years at $800k per).  Even after the giveaway trade of Henrik Tallinder to Buffalo in the offseason, the Devils still have seven capable defensemen on the roster who were part of a unit that allowed an NHL-low 23.1 shots per game last year.

If room is to be made for a young defenseman, it seems obvious it’ll come one of two ways barring some early camp injury.  Either Lou somehow finds a taker for Anton Volchenkov (another three years at $4.25 million per left on his deal) by hook or by crook – perhaps by eating up to 50% of the cap hit/salary, or by taking a path of lesser resistance and dealing UFA-to be Mark Fayne, who mysteriously fell out of favor last year after a strong 2011-12 campaign.  A former Providence college grad, Fayne found himself a frequent healthy scratch a year after being on the #1 defensive pairing of a Stanley Cup Finals team.  Fayne played just 31 of the team’s 48 games last year, registering six points with a +6 rating.  Despite a slightly off year, I’m sure some defensive-needy team (maybe Carolina although that’s complicated now by their moving to our new Metro division) would be willing to give something of value for a 26-year old d-man who’s only making $1.3 million this year if it came to it.  I doubt any of our other five defensemen will be moved, at least not out of camp.  Andy Greene is our best two-way d-man, Bryce Salvador is the captain, former #4 overall pick Adam Larsson is still a big part of the future at age 20 and you don’t generally move guys you just signed in the offseason before they play a game under their new deals (Zidlicky/Harrold).

If a young defenseman does make the team, who might it be?  Several candidates are in camp, ready to make an impression on the coaching staff.  Perhaps the most NHL-ready is Eric Gelinas, a 22-year old defenseman who spent the last two seasons in Albany, putting up 37 points (including sixteen goals) in 75 games for the baby Devils in ’11-12.  Last season was a down year for Gelinas though, as he put up just six goals and twenty-two points in 57 games.  Gelinas is a former 2nd-round pick (’09) who made his NHL debut late last year in an otherwise ho-hum game against the Penguins after the Devils had been eliminated from playoff contention.  Someone perhaps even more intriguing is Jon Merrill, a 2010 2nd-round pick who has the potential to be a nice two-way defenseman with an edge – but he dropped out of the first round due to off-ice issues.  After spending parts of three seasons at Michigan marred by one suspension and an injury that wiped out part of another season, Merrill finally made his pro debut last April, putting up eight points in twelve games for Albany.  Perhaps some refinement still needs to be done, as the Oklahoma City-born Merrill had a -8 in those twelve games as well.  Not to mention handling an 82-game schedule is going to be an adjustment considering his highest games played total was 42 two years ago as a freshman at Michigan.

Other candidates include a forgotten man who has the most NHL experience of the bunch – one time wunderkid Alexander Urbom.  After impressing coach Jacques Lemaire as an 18-year old in 2009-10 during camp and nearly making the team, Urbom did in fact make the 2010-11 Devils, but lasted just eight games.  He played five games in ’11-12 and one last year, spending most of his time in Albany.  Urbom has size going for him (6’5 and 215 pounds) but is more of a cerebral, stay-at-home player putting up just eight assists in 68 games last year.  Another hopeful for the roster is Damon Severson, who is a right-handed defenseman which gives him that edge over Gelinas, Merrill and Urbom.  After four years in the WHL, Severson had a breakout season in ’12-13 putting up 52 points and a +43 in 74 games for the Kelowna Rockets.  He also made his pro debut for Albany, playing a pair of games late last season but impressing in his brief time with two assists and a +2 rating.  Severson was a second-round pick in the 2012 draft and is just 19 so it’s asking a lot to think he’ll make the NHL over more seasoned candidates, but hey Scott Niedermayer and Scott Gomez were young turks not supposed to be ready for the big team either when they started out as teenagers.

Longshots for a spot on the roster include 2008 second-rounder Brandon Burlon and 2009 fourth-rounder Seth Hegleson.  Burlon played with Merrill for a time at Michigan (also staying in college three years), while Hegleson stayed a full four years at Minnesota.  Both seem to grade out as stay-at-home defensemen, but Hegleson at least has size going for him at 6’5, 215 while Burlon has more pro experience having played 53 games with Albany last year putting up a respectable 17 points and +9 – though with only a single goal.  Reece Scarlett is a longshot with seemingly some offensive skill based off of high point totals in the WHL (and he’s a righty) but is also smallish at 6’1 168 and is a 6th rounder with no pro experience.  Other defensemen in camp include Dan Kelly, Harry Young, Corbin McPherson and Raman Hrabarenka.  Most are in camp just to fill out the numbers and help give the regulars rest during preseason games and competition during scrimmages and practice.  However, all are in camp dreaming of stepping onto the ice in Newark in October.  We’ll see for whom (if anyone) that dream comes true this year.

Next I’ll go up-close looking at the team’s forwards in camp.