New Jersey Devils Prospect Update Week 4

Eric Gelinas is good. Scott Timmins is good. It has been an exciting week for a few New Jersey Devils' prospects. While the Albany Devils saw their win-streak come to an end, there were some bright spots in their play this past week. Keep reading for a full update on each Devils prospect.

Albany Notes:

• The Albany Devils played three games this week and went 1-2-0.
• On October 25, the Devils kept their winning streak going with a 4-3 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack. This sent their record to 5-1-0-1, which stands as the best start in franchise history. Stefan Matteau, Jon Merrill, Scott Timmins, and Mike Hoeffel scored the goals. This was just the second time during the season in which the Devils allowed more than two goals against. Wedgewood was in goal and stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced. Here are the highlights -
  

• On the 26^th, the Albany Devils winning streak ended with a 5-2 loss to the Portland Pirates. In just their second regulation loss this season, Albany held the advantage in shots 36-25. Scott Timmins and Reid Boucher scored the two Albany goals and Wedgewood was in net. Here are the highlights -
  

• The Devils fell to the defending Eastern Conference Champions Syracuse Crunch last night 4-1. Wedgewood was in net for the third straight game and turned away just 15 of the 19 shots he faced. Scott Timmins scored the lone goal for Albany. Here are the highlights -

• You may have noticed from the short recaps, but Scott Timmins is still going strong. He is on a nine-game point streak. He is just one game shy of the longest streak in franchise history currently held by Michael Swift.
• Scott Wedgewood was in net for each of the three Albany games this week partly because of Keith Kinkaid being called up to New Jersey while Schneider is on IR. Maxime Clermont was called to Albany from Elmira to back-up Wedgewood.
• Eric Gelinas - have you heard of him? He was called up to New Jersey last week and has been finding a lot of success with a goal and assist in his first two games. He has played three games so far and has played mostly with Adam Larsson and has seen time on the powerplay. It will be interesting to see whether or not he stays in the NHL once Salvador is re-activated as Gelinas has certainly showed he can compete for a steady role on an NHL team. Will he be taken off of the prospect list soon? Time will tell.
• Stefan Matteau scored his first goal of the season. Matteau said of the goal,

"We need to score goals to win games. It was nice to get one in, but one is not enough. As a team we've been doing really well; our top line has been doing really well scoring a lot of goals. With me, Pelley and now Pesonen we are really starting to click and I think we are going to get things going."

Whitney, Boucher, and Timmins have accounted for most of the team's scoring, so it is vital that some other players step up. Head Coach Rick Kowalsky said,

"The skill is there, the speed is there, the size is there, but he needs to score a couple of those goals that are tips in front or off rebounds. Score those ugly goals first and I think the skilled goals will come."

• Last season, Matteau was released from his team in the QMJHL. He seems to be doing well in a more professional atmosphere, though,

"It's a little bit different. It's a different atmosphere - more [professional] than juniors. Things are going well. I'm fitting in well and I just have to keep putting pucks on the net and points will come."

Here is his full interview -

Other Notes:

• Anthony Brodeur did not play this week - it seems he has officially been placed as the backup to Robert Steeves who has played thirteen games to Brodeur's six. Steeves has been in the league for much longer than Brodeur and it is his second season with Gatineau.
• As noted in the comments section in last weeks post, Artur Gavrus has sustained a shoulder injury. This is why he hasn't been in the lineup for the last few weeks. Thanks for finding that, bobstgroup.
• Ben Johnson had a successful week. He scored two goals and four assists. One of his goals was shorthanded, giving him two on the season.
• Ryan Kujawinski hasn't played this week due to a lower body injury. He is currently day-to-day.
• Blake Coleman had a goal and assist last week. He now has five goals and six points in six games so far this season.
• Derek Rodwell still hasn't seen the ice for the University of North Dakota. Instead of me telling you this every week, I'll give you an update when he actually plays a game.
• Miles Wood hasn't cracked the lineup for Brown University yet this season. The Bears first game was at the Rock this past weekend.

Prospect of the Week:

The honor this week goes to Scott Timmins. It's hard to pick someone else as he has been tearing it up for the Albany Devils. He is on a nine-game point streak and is tied for first in points on the team. I didn't expect so much out of him when he was sent back in return for Krys Barch.

Prospect of the Week Part 2:

We can't ignore the performance the New Jersey Devils have gotten from Eric Gelinas. I felt Timmins really deserved props for helping carry the Albany Devils who are looking at their best start in franchise history, but Gelinas has been a factor in the Devils picking up a few wins last week. He has been solid defensively, but has also shown his monster shot, which he has been rewarded for with a goal and an assist in his first two games of the season. I would love to stop calling him a prospect and see him play regularly in New Jersey.

How impressed are you by Eric Gelinas in New Jersey? Do you think Scott Timmins can break the 10-game point streak this weekend? What are your thoughts on Stefan Matteau's performance so far this season? Feel free to discuss your thoughts in the comments section below. As always, thanks for reading