After being one of the final cuts in training camp Tyler Kennedy is back with the New Jersey Devils on a tryout basis.
On that and some other Devils tidbits:
1) Kennedy did get into some penalty trouble but he played relatively well for the Devils in the preseason. He's certainly an NHL talent and has proven to be a quite capable bottom-6 forward over the last few years.
New Jersey's 4th line of Brian O'Neill, Stephen Gionta, and Bobby Farnham has been routinely crushed in possession and the former two have combined for zero 5 vs 5 goals so there is certainly room for improvement there.
Farnham has actually been the worst of the bunch in possession but he has three 5 vs 5 goals and Ray Shero and John Hynes are very familiar with him so I doubt he goes anywhere.
I think Kennedy would be an upgrade over all three players, though, and would like to see him get a shot.
2) Of Kyle Palmieri, Adam Henrique, Sergei Kalinin and Travis Zajac who would you guess has the most individual scoring chances per game at 5 vs 5?
If you somehow guessed Kalinin - I certainly wouldn't have - you are correct. Kalinin has played very well of late but that was surprising to me given a) how well the other three have played and; b) Kalinin played less than 12 minutes in each of his first seven games.
He's really starting to come on and is looking like a legitimate NHL talent.
3) The Devils have been outshot more often than not, which has led to some concern about whether or not they can sustain their early season success. It would certainly be more encouraging if that was not the case but the Devils are 11th in 5 vs 5 scoring chance differential so it's not as if they're playing poorly.
If you get more chances than your opponent you will win your fair share of games; especially when Cory Schneider is between the pipes.
4) No Devil has averaged more than 2 points per 60 minutes of 5 vs 5 play since the 2011-12 season. Right now Mike Cammalleri is averaging 2.34 per 60, Adam Henrique is averaging 2.25, and Lee Stempniak is sitting at 1.99. There is a long way to go but right now the Cammalleri - Henrique - Stempniak line is playing as well as any Devils line has in a long time.