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1) With training camp just around the corner the New Jersey Devils have started inviting unsigned free agents to camp on a tryout basis.

Thus far winger Brian Gibbons and goaltender Anders Lindback have agreed to sign professional tryouts with the team. I wrote about Lindback a little bit on Thursday but I want to touch on the Gibbons PTO.

A lot of people think Gibbons was brought in because he's a former Pittsburgh Penguin, which could very well be true, but I think the Devils were smart to give him a look nonetheless.

Gibbons has played in 66 NHL games to date and has shown well in them despite limited opportunity. He has a respectable 23 points in those games and has been a fairly efficient point producer. Gibbons has averaged 1.61 points per 60 minutes of 5 v 5 play. Since Gibbons entered the league, for comparison sake, Drew Stafford, Ryan Callahan and Mike Fisher have put up points at the same rate. Obviously over much larger sample sizes but it's clear Gibbons isn't a disaster offensively. He has also held his own in possession.

Gibbons may not make the team - there is certainly a lot more competition than in recent years - but he brings a lot of speed to the table and has performed well as a depth player in the past. Bringing him in for a look with no strings attached seems like a no-brainer.

2) Of the 165 players to dress in a World Cup of Hockey pre-tournament game only three players averaged fewer minutes than Kyle Palmieri (~10:30 per). If you look at players to dress in at least two games only one player has logged less minutes per game than Palmieri.

With Palmieri set to play a depth role, if he dresses at all, and Cory Schneider rotating between the 2nd and 3rd string goaltender the New Jersey Devils' representatives essentially won't be seeing the ice. Practice against good competition would probably help shake the rust off but I'm sure the Devils are quite content with two of their most important players sitting on the sidelines while other team's stars continue to get banged up.

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