New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: Week 17

After a successful 3-in-3 last week, the Albany Devils saw very different results this week. There weren't any major standouts on the prospect list this week, but there were some noteworthy moments. Keep reading for an update on stats and any major news throughout the Devils system.

Albany Notes:

• In their first game in three nights, the Devils fell 5-2 to the Binghamton Senators. It started off great with Stefan Matteau scoring just over one minute into the game, but it wasn't until the game was out of hand when Scott Timmins scored with just under three minutes to play in regulation. Keith Kinkaid was in net and faced 40 shots while the Devils had 29 shots.
• On Saturday, the Devils lost again. This time it was a 2-1 defeat to the Adirondack Phantoms. It looked like the game was destined for overtime until the Phantoms got the game winner with 20.5 seconds remaining in regulation. It was a tough game from the start - puck drop was at 2 pm after a game the night before.
• On Sunday, it was yet another tough loss. The Devils fell to the Binghamton Senators again; this time the score was 6-3. It was a 3-3 tie early in the second, but things got out of hand from there. The Albany goals were scored by Mike Hoeffel, Adam Larsson, and Dan Kelly while Keith Kinkaid and Scott Wedgewood split the game in net. Kinkaid played just 9:21 and let in three goals. Then, Wedgewood came in and made 13 saves.
• Joe Whitney got his shot in the NHL, but it was a short stint. He played on the top line with Jaromir Jagr and Travis Zajac for one game - a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. He had just one hit in eight minutes of ice time.
• Reid Boucher had two assists in his first three games back in Albany after 23 games with New Jersey. He had two goals and five assists during his stint in the NHL.
• Artem Demkov was loaned to the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL from the Albany Devils.
• Adam Larsson had a goal and two assists in three games last week. He now has seven points (1g, 6a) in nine games played in Albany.

Other Notes:

• Maxime Clermont was placed on the 21-day injured reserve list for the Elmira Jackals. There haven't been any details as to why he is missing so much time.
• Both Riley Boychuk and Harry Young got their first points of the season for the Elmira Jackals this weekend. Each got an assist.
• Artur Avrus was named to the 23-player training camp roster for the Belarusian National Ice Hockey Team in preparation for the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge in Gdansk, Poland this February. Training camp opens on February 1^st.
• The University of Miami Ohio won it's game since Blake Coleman went down with his shoulder injury in early December last week. They have this week off, and he is getting extremely close to returning to the lineup. He was having a strong season before he was hurt with 16 points in 17 games - hopefully he can pick up where he left off.
• Curtis Gedig didn't play for Ohio State this weekend due to an undisclosed injury.

Prospect of the Week:

There weren't any major standouts this week, so instead I'm going to do a mini-profile on the current Albany Iron Man, Seth Helgeson.

While he may only have eight points in 43 games this season (1g, 7a), Seth Helgeson has been a huge asset (both literally and figuratively) to the Albany Devils. At 6'5" an 215 lbs, he leads the team in 65 penalty minutes and is the only player on the team to appear in every game so far this season. His iron man streak goes back to his college days - he played in 121-straight games for the Minnesota Gophers dating back to his freshman season.

He has never been a major goal scorer - going back to his days at the University of Minnesota, his highest scoring season was his junior year, in which he scored 14 points (5g, 9a). He doesn't play a flashy game, but he is solid on defense and can play a strong, physical game. He is great along the boards and behind the net and he has a long reach, which he uses to his advantage.

He was called up to New Jersey as an emergency recall earlier this season, but didn't get into a game. I wouldn't be shocked if we saw him play in the NHL sooner rather than later. While there are more qualified players ahead of him on the prospect list, he brings a different element to the game than Gelinas, Merrill, or even Larsson.

What do you think the Albany Devils need to do to get out of their losing streak? Which prospect would you like to see called up to New Jersey next? What are your thoughts on Seth Helgeson? Do you think we'll be seeing him in the NHL this season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!