With Tuomo Ruutu and Jaromir Jagr suffering a case of the flu, the New Jersey Devils called up Joe Whitney to fill in some gaps in the starting roster. It will be Whitney’s first game with the team since he scored his first career NHL goal against the Detroit Red Wings on New Year’s Eve.

The upcoming stretch of games needs to be crucial for Joe Whitney. While Lou Lamoriello mentioned that there is a slight possibility Ruutu and Jagr join the team in California, it is highly unlikely they play before the All-Star Break. With that news, Whitney will have to prove to the team that he is not destined for a career in the American Hockey League. At 26, Whitney is, if anything, entering his prime and has to prove he is of value to the team.

While I think it is unfair to judge Whitney based on his size, it’s hard to deny that his 5′ 6″ frame holds him back on the ice. Luckily for Joe, he isn’t known as the physical type and can back up his skills with sharp, precise shooting as evidenced against the Red Wings.

Whitney will be on the last line with Jordan Tootoo and Tim Sestito against the Los Angeles Kings, so it’s worthy to note that he will most likely see minimal time on the ice tonight (January 14). On the other side of the coin, this isn’t necessarily the worst combination for Whitney to be thrown into. Sure, if he was on Mike Cammalleri‘s right side on the atrocious third line the Devils are throwing out there, then it would help. The worst scenario for Whitney would be if he was stuck on a line with Dainius Zubrus and Michael Ryder with Zubrus playing center. That would be extremely detrimental to his growth.

With Sestito and Tootoo adding more grinding qualities than anything, Whitney’s scoring sense could be a valuable asset on the last line and maybe even pick up a point or two.

Whitney’s upcoming stretch of three games will be huge for the soon-to-be 27-year-old. With Eric Gelinas‘ activation to the team and Jagr/Ruutu’s placement on IR, the Devils will be sticking with Joe unless they call up someone from Albany to take his roster spot.

The next three games are the biggest of Joe Whitney’s career.