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When the Devils all but confirmed that Tomas Kaberle would be attending training camp on a tryout basis, many were taken by surprise.
Devils GM Lou Lamoriello had said several times throughout the off-season that Jon Merrill, Eric Gelinas, Adam Larsson and, to a lesser extent, Damon Severson would be given every opportunity to make the team this season.
With Mark Fayne and Anton Volchenkov no longer in the picture, the general thought was Severson would probably have to wait another year while Merrill would continue to play a top-4 role, and Gelinas and Larsson would both make the squad forming the team's 3rd defense pairing.
While that still may happen, Lamoriello seems keen on making the team's young blue liners earn their spot, and he's going to try and make them do so by bringing in more competition.
It'd certainly be frustrating to see a 36-year-old defenseman who didn't play in the NHL last year swoop in and take a spot from a kid, but if Kaberle plays himself into a contract it'd be hard not to give him one. The goal is, obviously, to ice the best team possible, so if Kaberle shows he still has something left in the tank then keeping him could make sense.
That in mind, Kaberle's best days are certainly behind him, and I think he's a long shot to make the team. Either way, competition in camp is never a bad thing.
Having several young defensemen feeling entitled to a roster spot without competition isn't good for anyone. I think the hope is that the kids will earn their spots, but if they don't that's what Kaberle is here for.
He can probably still put pucks on platters for teammates to one-time, and he has the Czech connection with Martin Havlat, Patrik Elias, Jaromir Jagr and Marek Zidlicky.
I don't think Kaberle will make the team, but if he does it'll be because he's deserving. I'm interested to see how things play out with Kaberle and Scott Gomez come training camp.
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