Devils Sign Defenseman Kyle Quincey to One-Year Deal

On Wednesday the Devils announced they have signed defenseman Kyle Quincey to a one-year deal, worth $1,250,000. Quincey, 31, spent the last five years with the Detroit Red Wings, the team who drafted him in the 2003 NHL Draft.

A Quick Look

Kyle Quincey, a player who will come in as the third oldest defenseman behind stalwart Andy Greene and new addition Ben Lovejoy provides depth and competition for one of the final defensive roster spots. A left-handed defenseman, Quincey will compete with Merrill, Moore and Auvitu for the 2nd and 3rd pair spots behind Greene.

Although Quincey has offesnive upside and posted over .5 ppg in 2008-09 with the Los Angeles Kings, he has largely been used in a shutdown role with Detroit for the past few seasons. Playing 19:46 a night, Quincey played in Detroit's top-four during the regular season. While his stats aren't eye-popping, he played a positive role in a Detroit defense than struggled mightily overall.

Projected Roster Implications

While it's unlikely Quincey will compete for a top-four spot, he will likely challenge for a bottom-pair role. Moore and Merrill are likely to make the team, as neither are waiver eligible, possibly forcing newly signed French defenseman Yohann Auvitu to the Albany to start the season.

Quincey on the bottom-pair will provide a veteran influence for what could very likely be a young defenseman like Steve Santini. Shero is likely to want to provide a stabilizing partner for a young defenseman getting acclimated to the NHL and Quincey provides this for the team.

Your Thoughts

Will Quincey play a larger role than a 7th defenseman? Will he be a mentor for young defenseman competing for a roster spot? How does this signing impact the team overall? Let us know your thoughts and as always, thank you for reading!