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With Anton Volchenkov and Mark Fayne no longer in the picture, a couple of roster spots on the backend have opened up and are there for the taking.

Jon Merrill is a lock to make the team - he played top-4 minutes for much of last year and handled himself well - and Eric Gelinas as well as Adam Larsson, who recently signed a one-way deal, have inside tracks on spots as well.

There is another young defenseman in Damon Severson who has impressed management and the coaching staff quite a bit. So much so, that he's expected to compete for an NHL roster spot this fall.

Via Tom Gulitti's post at Fire And Ice:

Although Severson won’t turn 20 until Aug. 7, DeBoer views him as someone who will be part of the competition for jobs in the NHL training camp along with Merrill, Larsson and Gelinas.

“He’s one of those guys,” DeBoer said. “Lou (Lamoriello) and I have both spoken that there’s going to be an opportunity for young players, especially on defense this year, and he’s one of those guys that has to come into camp and find a way to grab a job.”

Severson, 19, is a smooth-skating puck-moving defenseman whose stock has steadily been on the rise since being drafted 60th overall in 2012.

The year after being selected Severson recorded 52 points in 71 regular season games, as well as 10 points in 11 playoff games. He upped the ante even more so last season, recording 61 points in 64 games and following that up with 18 points in 14 playoff contests. Combine those totals and he has 141 points in 160 games over the last two campaigns.

Suffice to say, there's nothing left for the young blue liner to accomplish in junior. He's ready for pro hockey, and perhaps the NHL.

That's where it gets dicey, though. As of now the Devils have seven NHL defensemen in Andy Greene, Bryce Salvador, Marek Zidlicky, Jon Merrill, Adam Larsson, Eric Gelinas and Pete Harrold.

The first four are locks, Larsson's on a one-way deal, Gelinas was the most efficient power play defenseman in hockey last year, and Harrold is not a bad No. 7.

As of now here's how things look:

Greene - Merrill
Salvador - Zidlicky
Gelinas - Larsson

7th: Harrold

Larsson can't be sent to the AHL without clearing waivers, which won't happen, so he's on the team. The Devils didn't seem thrilled with Gelinas' 2nd half last year, but he's a promising defenseman and will likely command a one-way deal this summer.

The only other guy I could see being bumped out is Pete Harrold, but as Pete DeBoer's favorite son I view that unlikely. Even so, keeping Damon Severson around over Harrold to be the 7th defenseman would be pretty dumb, in my opinion, as he wouldn't play enough to develop properly.

Barring an injury or the Devils' only defenseman on a two-way contract (Merrill) faltering horrifically, I don't think Severson will start the year in New Jersey.

Devils posts

The Waiting Game

How much is Eric Gelinas worth?

Grading the Devils' off-season to date

On Cory Schneider's long-term extension

My in-depth Devils draft review

Jackets posts

What would you give Ryan Johansen

On Brandon Dubinsky's contract extension

Galaxies Apart

Blue Jackets draft review

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