With the offseason quickly approaching, New Jersey Devils basic supervisor, Ray Shero has loads of robust selections to make on the subject of the group’s restricted and unrestricted free brokers. One RFA, specifically, is former first-round choose John Quenneville.
The 23-year-old ahead has turn out to be considerably of a journeyman with the Devils since being drafted in 2014. He’s a stellar contributor on the AHL stage, however a fringe participant at finest within the NHL. He has recorded simply 5 factors in 33 profession NHL video games in comparison with 119 factors (36 targets, 73 assists) in 138 video games with the Albany/Binghamton Devils over the course of his first three seasons within the group.
A Failed 2018-19 Season For Quenneville
Quenneville was purported to be an day-after-day NHL participant by now. He broke coaching camp in September 2018 on the Devils’ major roster, however once more, he failed to stay and was despatched right down to the minors.
John Quenneville (Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports activities)
To his credit score, he produced at a point-per-game tempo in his first 19 video games again in Binghamton after being demoted, however when he was known as again up, he was pointless in his subsequent 15 NHL video games. To make issues worse, the Devils gave him ample alternatives to show himself by giving him time on the ice in all conditions, together with the facility play, however issues simply didn’t work out.
He completed the 2018-19 season with one level and a minus-1 ranking in 19 NHL video games. He did, nonetheless, handle to show that one level right into a game-winning objective in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers, however that’s about the one constructive you possibly can take away from this season.
Quenneville is Sliding Additional Down the Depth Chart
It’s apparent that Quenneville has been handed over by loads of completely different gamers within the group. Since making his NHL debut at heart in December 2016 and failing to turn out to be a mainstay on the professional roster, the Devils have used quite a lot of completely different facilities, together with gamers they’ve signed or traded for as a result of they wanted extra depth down the center. A few of these gamers embody Brian Boyle, Blake Coleman, Michael McLeod, Blake Speers and Kevin Rooney, amongst others.
Quenneville’s underlying numbers are even worse. By way of his first three seasons, he has an anticipated goals-for proportion (xGF%) of simply four.5 (2016-17), zero.6 (2017-18) and seven.2 (2018-19) % at five-on-five. He additionally has a profession anticipated plus-minus (e+/-) of minus-Three.9 at even energy and a dreadful zero.15 factors per sport.
It’s solely going to worsen for him as soon as the Devils draft Jack Hughes and/or signal Jesper Boqvist to an entry-level deal.
Let Quenneville Stroll
Whereas some may argue that it’s good for the Devils to re-sign the previous first-round choose and maintain him round as a depth participant in Binghamton, I believe it might be higher in the event that they didn’t lengthen a qualifying supply and let him check the open market. A change of surroundings could be good for either side.
For Quenneville, maybe a special NHL membership or a possible profession abroad might assist him discover himself. He nonetheless has loads of expertise, however issues simply aren’t clicking in New Jersey.
Devils left wing John Quenneville (Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports activities)
For the Devils, eliminating Quenneville within the AHL opens up the door for different younger prospects to show themselves. As an alternative of Quenneville being penciled right into a top-six position for Binghamton on a nightly foundation, different gamers like McLeod, Brett Seney or Mitchell Hoelscher would get that chance as an alternative.
Whereas nothing is for certain at this level, it doesn’t seem to be John Quenneville is a part of the Devils’ future plans. It will be a win-win for either side in the event that they went their separate methods.
