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1) Heading into the season I was among those that believed Scott Wedgewood should be kept around as the team's backup. It wasn't so much a knock on Kinkaid, but rather a credit to how well Wedgewood has progressed in recent years. When factoring in age and what the New Jersey Devils invested in Wedgewood over the years it just seemed like keeping him was the right thing to do.
Fast forward a couple months and I'm ready to eat my words. Keith Kinkaid has been fantastic this season and has given the Devils much better goaltending than they could ever hope for from a backup.
He has just two wins in five starts but owns an impressive .933 save percentage and has helped the Devils earn at least a point in four of his five games.
It's safe to say Wedgewood wouldn't be performing any better than that. Factoring in performance, and the fact Wedgewood didn't get claimed off waivers, it's hard to argue keeping Kinkaid wasn't the right decision.
2) Mike Cammalleri started the season slowly but has been as dynamic as anyone in the league of late. He has seven goals, 11 points and 22 shots over his last five games and is playing some of the best hockey of his career alongside Travis Zajac.
Cammalleri is now averaging 3.08 points per 60 minutes at 5 v 5, which puts him 7th in the NHL among regular skaters. The six players ahead of him: Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, James van Riemsdyk, Sidney Crosby and Brandon Saad.
Cammalleri's strong play has made the loss of Taylor Hall a lot more bearable.
3) Travis Zajac is another guy playing some of the best hockey of his career. Whether he's been with Cammalleri, Hall, P.A. Parenteau or anyone else, Zajac has been a consistently effective at both ends of the ice from the word go.
At 5 v 5 the Devils are averaging 57 shot attempts/60 and 21.31 scoring chances/60 with Zajac on the ice. He is 2nd in both categories behind only Hall.
Zajac hasn't sacrificed his defense to be more effective offensively, either, as he has still been among the best on the team in terms of suppressing chances despite playing against the opposing team's best players.
There is too much term on Zajac's contract but right now he is well worth the money he is being paid.
4) When John Moore is on the ice it feels like you're on a rollar coaster. He'll be hemmed in the defensive zone and scare the crap out of you with his positioning, which is almost non-existent at times. At some point in every game you'll wonder why he is even on the team. Then he'll grab the puck, skate the length of the ice and make something happen offensively and you'll remember.
Moore certainly has his faults but he is one of the few guys on the back end who can actually contribute offensively. That counts for something.
As crazy as it sounds, Moore is quietly on pace for 40 points this season. The last time the Devils had a 40+ point defenseman? In 2013-14 when Marek Zidlicky posted 42 points.
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