Are Boucher and Matteau finally waiver-eligible next year? If Shero's still approaching next season as an evaluation year, I don't think we're gonna see either of Stef or Reid in Albany much, either.
Prospect Info: Albany Devils and ECHL talk (2014-15 season) - Part IV
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Are Boucher and Matteau finally waiver-eligible next year? If Shero's still approaching next season as an evaluation year, I don't think we're gonna see either of Stef or Reid in Albany much, either.
- May 1, 2011
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Boucher is not waiver eligible next year, Matteau is though.
I still think Boucher is probably with the NHL club this year. I didn't think he would be after last season ended, but it seems like he will be with the direction the club is moving in.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Boucher is, Matts isn't. Matts has to stay with the big club or get traded at this point unless Shero wants to give up a former first round pick for nothing.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice 1h1 hour ago
Talked to Max Novak (Oak Ridge, NJ) native. He was signed to AHL contract with Albany after 2014-15 season. Was on ATO.
I was right EnglishDevil
Talked to Max Novak (Oak Ridge, NJ) native. He was signed to AHL contract with Albany after 2014-15 season. Was on ATO.
I was right EnglishDevil
Zippy316
aka Zippo
I was just thinking about this, but one of the reasons Whitney might not have been signed is because he is going to become one of the Devils AHL veterans next year.
Don't know if everyone knows this, but to make the AHL a true development league, teams are only allowed to have 5 players who have played 320 professional games. Not sure if it's professional games entirely or just AHL/NHL games.
Regardless, Pelley is one. Kelly will become another this year. Gragnani will become another next year. O'Brien or Thompson will be one if they do not make the team and I'm assuming Danis is one -- not sure if this rule applies to goalies.
If Danis is one, it makes things interesting.
This isn't 100% accurate - you can only dress 6 skaters who have played 260 or more games, and only 5 who have played 320 or more. You can carry as many as you like on the roster, though. Between injuries and callups, I don't think it will be an issue, but it might've been had Whitney stayed.
Danis does not count.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
No? You've listed 5 people at the limit and I'm not even sure that Pelley is on the team next year, I hadn't read that anywhere - even so he's been a 4th liner in the AHL for the last 3 years so I don't think it's a huge deal if he's forced to sit out.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
Kelly, Gragnani, O'Brien, Thompson
Burlon is at 236. Sislo is at 271 so include him in the above group.
Regardless, Whitney was creeping up on that number though. Seems like the Devils wanted to move on and couldn't take that risk.
EnglishDevil
Registered User
I recall reading somewhere (i believe some kind of informal interview with him) that he had been offered an AHL contract for the upcoming season. I believe it was the same source that had the information regarding Matt Lorito being signed for 2015 after his ATO at the end of last year. It's extremely difficult to confirm information about AHL only contracts however.
I think you're probably right to some extent that they didn't see a need for him to take up one of their AHL veteran spots, but i think it's also in part due to the huge influx of youngsters this year, many of whom play (or can play) left wing. Whitney was a fringe NHLer at best, but he would play top 6 minutes in Albany; i'd rather see those minutes go to Lorito, Boucher, Coleman, Pietila, Johnson or Thomson, there's already a lot of competition at that position.
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
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Shero admitted they wanted Whitney back but he chose to pursue other opportunities, it has nothing to do with game limits, he left himself ostensibly cause he wouldn't have gotten as much of a chance here. I just don't know why he went to the Isles though, are they really going to have an opening on wing?
Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice Jun 30
Devils were interested in bringing back Joe Whitney, but it turns out he will be going "in another direction", Ray Shero said
Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice Jun 30
Devils were interested in bringing back Joe Whitney, but it turns out he will be going "in another direction", Ray Shero said
Last edited:
Zippy316
aka Zippo
Oh yes, that absolutely has a lot to do with it.
Add to it that I think every prospect we have coming to the pros is a left handed shooting left wing -- if they aren't a center -- so his days were kinda numbered. If he were right handed, I think things would've been a lot different.
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I think Lou and company really didn't like Whitney. He never got a chance here, they kept calling up Sislo instead. And even Sestito obviously too.
I know they were very anal about using those energy guys for 4th line roles, and Whitney wasn't one of those types, so they weren't gonna play him unless it was in a top 9 role. It's also the reason they didn't sign Gomez right away. They wouldn't use him in a 4th line role, like his previous few teams had.
I do understand that, though Whitney was a decent option for a top 9 role last season.
Whitney did play on the 4th line last season during his brief cup of coffee, they just sent him down before the other guys who they saw as more of 4th liners.
And so sad for Tim Sestito too. Dude will never score an NHL goal in his career.
Oh well, at least he had a nice primary assist from a Marty breakout pass, on a fluky borderline kick goal from Cam Janssen.
I know they were very anal about using those energy guys for 4th line roles, and Whitney wasn't one of those types, so they weren't gonna play him unless it was in a top 9 role. It's also the reason they didn't sign Gomez right away. They wouldn't use him in a 4th line role, like his previous few teams had.
I do understand that, though Whitney was a decent option for a top 9 role last season.
Whitney did play on the 4th line last season during his brief cup of coffee, they just sent him down before the other guys who they saw as more of 4th liners.
And so sad for Tim Sestito too. Dude will never score an NHL goal in his career.
Oh well, at least he had a nice primary assist from a Marty breakout pass, on a fluky borderline kick goal from Cam Janssen.
Whitney's first callup was probably the worst NHL debut I'd ever seen. Just had no idea where to be on the ice. I wasn't very surprised that he was immediately sent down. 2nd time around he played much better, but one thing people don't reaiize about last year's team when they talk about how much better this year's will be is that last year's team had almost no injuries during the Lou/Oates/Stevens era. Whitney as an LW was blocked by a ton of players - Sislo as an RW was blocked by fewer, and likewise with Sestito as a C. Nice guy to have as a 16th forward and I get why the Islanders shelled out pretty big bucks for him, it's entirely possible he's what made that 1st line in Albany go, but I don't think he'll stick in the NHL full time.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
I agree about his debut. I was at that game and specifically tried to watch Whitney. He was beyond terrible.
Not that it means he can't be an NHL player, but he did not help himself at all with that.
Devils Dominion
Now we Plummet
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And we never signed Cam Janssen either?
This offseason just keeps getting better and better!
Did Shero say officially on the record that we were moving on from him too, like he said about Sestito and a few other guys?
Let it be, dear lord! Let it be!
This offseason just keeps getting better and better!
Did Shero say officially on the record that we were moving on from him too, like he said about Sestito and a few other guys?
Let it be, dear lord! Let it be!
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
And we never signed Cam Janssen either?
This offseason just keeps getting better and better!
Did Shero say officially on the record that we were moving on from him too, like he said about Sestito and a few other guys?
Let it be, dear lord! Let it be!
I don't recall reading anything about cam honestly.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
I agree with that in most cases, but it's not like he didn't have a chance. He was playing with Zajac and Jagr in his first game. From the beginning, he just did not look like he knew what he was doing.
It was one of those games where it looked like he did everything not to be a factor in the game -- good or bad. Like on breakouts he skate alongside another player instead of getting open. It was really a great example of him playing scared or at least playing not to make a mistake.
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Hopefully he's gone.
I like how Shero is weeding out all the deadweight there. Is Timmins being brought back?
No more Pelley either. Pelley is an even worse AHL player than Sestito as far as point production goes, that's pretty sad and pathetic. Though I actually remember Pelley scoring about 3 or 4 goals and he wasn't quite as incompetent at the NHL level years ago.
Send Pelley to the unemployment line with his buddy Fraser. I heard they got some stores in the mall that are hiring. Cam can work there too. All 3 of them actually look like the kinds of goofballs you'd see working at foot locker or a hat store in the mall.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
I think most of the dead weight is gone. There is a lot of new kids coming in that need spots.
HenriquesJawLine
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Devil X
Call me Nostradamus
I thought they re-signed Pelley. As a matter of fact i thought he was their Captain last season and expected to do the same this year?
They will have a nice group of young forwards coming in that will really help them for sure. I will be cool to see how those guys handle their time in the AHL.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
But soon enough Shero is going to have his own Janssens and Pelleys and Sestitos that he is going to keep around. You can pretty much count on it.
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