Andrew Gross

NorthJersey

Now that we’ve had a couple of days to take a deep breath after the Devils concluded their summer prospects development camp, there are still a few things left in the notebook from an interesting week around the team.

Between signing No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier to his entry-level deal and a high-paced, up-tempo camp filled almost exclusively with players drafted into the system that culminated with Saturday’s full scrimmage which represented the young talent well, the Devils got plenty accomplished during the week.

Between the end of development camp and the start of training camp in mid-September is a traditionally quieter period for any NHL team, though general manager Ray Shero still has some work to de this offseason, namely bolster his defense corps and re-sign his restricted free agents (those announcements should start trickling out soon).

Here are other topics Shero touched upon as he met the media prior to Saturday’s scrimmage:

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On some Devils’ veterans/players having a presence at camp: “I think they were great, I think that’s part and parcel of what we’re trying to do, try to do that every year. A guy like (Pavel) Zacha, coming in again, he knows more than he did his first time. Certainly Steven Santini has done a fantastic job, even other guys can pass on experiences and what it’s like because everybody is from different backgrounds whether you’re from Europe or college or junior. A couple of kids on tryout that have done a great job. I really like the fact this is first time I’ve ever been part having veteran players come in, like (Travis) Zajac, Andy Greene came in and of course (Kyle) Palmieri and (Cory) Schneider and Johnny Moore, and they took different groups out to dinner. I think the younger players really really appreciated it and got a lot out of it as well.”

On how this year’s development camp was different: “We only have two invites and they’ve both done real good jobs. I think we had 32 players (actually, 33) and 30 (actually, 31) are draft picks and that’s probably the highest by far ratio I’ve ever been involved with. But it’s great to see some of these kids and certainly these drafts that could be here, or else it would be more. I really like the idea that’s kind of what of we said two years ago what we had to do to try and rebuild this organization is through drafting whether it’s college free agents, that’s a byproduct of the number of picks that we’ve had over the last couple of years so we’ll try to build upon that. I didn’t realize it until a couple of days before, I’m like where the heck are the tryouts? Are we missing some guys? Fitzie (assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald) is no, this is it. I’m like, perfect and I think it’s been really good. I really think the two kids on tryouts (Bobo Carpenter and Nicolas Guay) have done a good job. It’s nice to have the one on one time they’ve gotten from coaches. That’s part of them coming here, learning about us and us learning about them. So it’s been good all around.”

On why John Quenneville did not participate in the on-ice sessions: “I think it’s his ankle, that’s how concerned I am. I think it might be his ankle, which he might have twisted or something a couple of weeks ago. More precautionary to keep him out. But it’s great to have Johnny here. He’s got a great personality to him, but being around and meeting some of these new kids and again he’s a kid that’s been here before has played NHL games, has played in Albany obviously so it’s good to have his insight but more importantly for him, to him to be part of it because we’re looking to have him make another step as well and see where that takes him but it’s been good to have him.”

On whether Quenneville will be OK for training camp: “Oh, yeah, for sure.”

On re-signing the Devils’ restricted free agents: “I don’t foresee any problems. Obviously none filed for arbitration and there are some that we’ll take over the next couple days. There’s no rush. You want to make sure it’s the right deal for the team and the player, and guys like Damon Severson we’ll take some time on because we’ll get some different options with him. He’s still a young defenseman that we’re excited to work with, and we want to make sure he understands that. So we’ll get some options with him and his agent, and there’s no rush there. We look forward to doing that and getting some of these other guys signed.”

On whether he was disappointed Ilya Kovalchuk wound up re-signing in KHL rather than Devils being able to get assets for him via a sign-and-trade: ““Like I said many times, I didn’t really have the expectations because it more or less came out of the blue, and I knew if he was not signed this year, he’d go back to Russia, he’d potentially be a free agent next year if he wants to come back a year from now. I couldn’t control any of that. He was kind of our asset, but kind of not, if you know what I mean. I didn’t control where I could trade him, sign and trade him. It was really up to him and what was good for him and his family. I never got involved in that part with teams, because that was up to Kovy. He’s a really good player, and if he had been back this year it would have been fantastic and if it’s going to be next year for himself, that’s great. It won’t be in New Jersey.”

On whether he was ever presented any deal for Kovalchuk: ““No not really. It was, ‘I talked to this team, that team, do you mind following up?’ Which I did, and like I said, I never had an offer I turned down. He had to get a deal somewhere. That was step one. Nothing happens with him. That never happened, at least to bring to me for me to consider anything. So again whatever happened in that process, I don’t know. It wasn’t my business, it was theirs. I was ready for point B but never got there. Again I wish him luck, and it didn’t seem to work for him, but certainly an opportunity to compete in the Olympics this year for him as well.”

On whether that makes Kovalchuk an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2018: “Yes, that’s been the understanding all along. Won’t have to go through this again.”

On where things stand with Alex Kerfoot, a fifth-round pick in 2012 who can become an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15 after four years at Harvard: ““I talked to him a few days ago for a while. I think after the dust settled for free agency for a lot of teams, including ours, I think it was good to reconnect with him. Me, John Hynes and Fitzie had a conference call with him, and I explained to him again exactly where we were. I think it was a good reminder that we’d really like to sign him, but like anybody else, he controls the outcome until Aug. 15. I think it was a really good conversation and he’ll talk to his agent, and hopefully get back to us in the very near future. There’s not much more he can learn from us at this point, but I think it was a really good chance to reconnect with him when the dust settles after July 1 around the league and certainly with the Devils.

On whether situations like Kerfoot and Jimmy Vesey, drafted in the third round by the Predators in 2012 and signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Rangers after four years at Harvard, might make NHL GMs shy away from Harvard-bound players: ““No, other Harvard guys have signed. I don’t think it has anything to do with Harvard. Teddy Donato, the coach at Harvard, is a Harvard graduate and also played in the NHL a long time. I think it’s certainly individual choice and decisions, and again the Kerfoot thing has not been written yet. We’ll see what happens with it. There’s other Kerfoot and Jimmy Vesey situations every year around the league. They go to Aug. 15 and either by their choice or the choice of the team, they don’t sign them, but these kids have that right and good for them. But the four years at Harvard are really important for kids. Sometimes it’s three years or two years. What I said to Reilly Walsh (the Devils’ third-round pick this year and a development camp standout) after we drafted him. ‘Good luck at Harvard next year, it will be the best three years of your life.’”

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On whether he believes the Devils have a chance to sign Kerfoot after Aug. 15: ““Unlikely. You never say never. I can only chase this so much. I really like Alex as a kid, he’s a good player and really good kid. Whatever he does, he knows I hope he signs here for all of the reasons we told him about opportunity, development, what we’re trying to do and how we value him. But again, he makes that ultimate choice, and he has that right, which I respect. The only thing we can do is explain to him where he is with us and opportunities to go forward. You never say never, but he has all the information. If he’s not going to sign with us, he’ll go to the 15th and maybe we’ll sign him (at that point). I’d be surprised but we’ll see."

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