Kinkaid and Zajac: From Dutchmen to Devils

by Ryan Fay

It's understandable if Union supporters have their eyes on the New Jersey Devils organization.

Keith Kinkaid, the starting goaltender on the 2010-2011 Cleary Cup winning team, was recalled to New Jersey this week while Kelly Zajac, who served as an assistant captain on last year's Frozen Four squad, was bumped up to the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League on Monday.

KINKAID

The Farmingville, New York native left Union and signed with the Devils organization in April 2011 after a breakthrough sophomore season that resulted in a minuscule 1.99 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.

The netminder was in the midst of his second season with Albany prior to getting recalled on Wednesday and posted a solid 2.69 GAA and a .905 save %, similar figures to what he finished with a year ago.

"From what I’ve observed, the coaching staff is pleased with Kinkaid’s improvement from his rookie season and are acknowledging that with the amount of playing time he receives," said Times Union Albany Devils beat writer Pete Dougherty. "Until his NHL call-up, he had started 33 of [a possible] 51 games."

While Martin Brodeur has been a rock between the pipes for nearly two decades, the 40-year-old can't play forever. And his backup, Johan Hedberg, is 39-years-old. Eventually, the Devils will have multiple openings on its goaltending depth chart.

According to New Jersey Star-Ledger Devils beat man Rich Chere, Kinkaid is seen as a "serious candidate" to be one of New Jersey's top goaltenders once Brodeur retires, but he'll face heavy competition from fellow prospect Scott Wedgewood, a third rounder in the 2010 draft.

The 20-year-old Wedgewood has a 3.31 GAA and an .895 save % for Trenton of the ECHL, a league one step below the AHL.

"Wedgewood may be the likely number one on a post-Brodeur Devils team, but these projections often have a way of changing when a player matures and steps forward," said Chere. "I could, in fact, envision Kinkaid and Wedgewood sharing the goalie duties in a few years. The scouting department feels Kinkaid has the size and skills to make it in the NHL."

The latest recall is the third NHL recall of Kinkaid's young career, but the 23-year-old has yet to see any ice time at hockey's highest level. But with Brodeur nursing a sore back, now is as good of a time as any.

The Devils placed Brodeur on injured reserve on Tuesday, meaning he can't return until at least Monday when the Devils venture to Toronto. In the meantime, New Jersey travels to Winnipeg tonight ahead of a trip to Buffalo on Saturday. Kinkaid will likely need something to happen to Hedberg to see game action.

If Kinkaid receives ice time, he'll become the second goaltender in Union hockey history to play in an NHL game. The other was Steve Baker, who played in parts of four seasons with the New York Rangers from 1979-1983.

Even if Kinkaid doesn't get off the bench, it's still a win-win.

"I had a lot of fun backing up last year," he told the New Jersey media on Tuesday. "Obviously, you want to get that first game, but the time will come. It starts in practice. You show them what you got and hopefully they trust you enough to put you in. Just being with the team is an accomplishment."

ZAJAC

When Kelly Zajac's Union career concluded last spring, he ranked second on the program's Division I era points list with 128, three behind Adam Presizniuk.

The Manitoba native quickly signed an amateur tryout contract with Albany last April and was held without a point in three games at the end of the season. He was subsequently inked to a one-year AHL deal.

"Some skeptics may have seen signing Kelly as a favor to [his older brother] Travis before he was signed to a long-term contract extension, but Kelly will be given a chance to make it on his own," said Chere.

One thing that has hindered Zajac from making it so far has been health, a surprise considering he was remarkably durable during his Union career. Between stops in Albany and Trenton, Zajac has appeared in only 21 games this season.

"He's been banged up for a good part of the year [with a lower body injury] and only now is he able to play in every game instead of getting a game off of a 3-in-3 and so on," said Trenton Titans beat man Mike Ashmore of the Trentonian.

When Zajac, 24, has managed to play, the results have been strong. In 15 games for Trenton, he scored six goals and picked up 10 assists. The forward has also collected a couple goals and a helper in six games for Albany to go along with a plus-2 rating.

"Pretty skilled guy," Ashmore said. "He probably doesn't belong in Trenton in the first place [and is] probably a solid middle six forward in the AHL right now."

Added Dougherty, "[Zajac] basically is caught in a numbers game, created somewhat by the NHL lockout and the extra players who were in the AHL."

Numbers games aside, Zajac needs to do one thing to stick in the AHL.

"Stay healthy. It isn't much more than that," said Ashmore. "The skill set is there, but once he's able to have a completely healthy season and kind of work his way through the glut of depth in Albany, he'll be fine."

Going further up the ladder, could Kelly join older brother Travis in a New Jersey uniform someday?

"I think he has a chance," Ashmore said. "He still needs a little time to develop at the pro level, but end of 2013-14/mid 2014-15 season, he'll hopefully be at that stage of his career where he could get an opportunity"

Dougherty has more of a wait and see approach.

"I don’t know that he has the skill set of Travis, and his size (5'11/175) is a bit of a detriment, as well," he said. "It’s really too early to make that judgment until he gets more of a chance to play in the AHL."

Opined Chere, "Kelly's future appears to be that of a role player who could be called up and sent back several times before a final decision is made. One thing about Lou Lamoriello's Devils: if a player does get a call-up and makes an impression, he'll be rewarded with a contract and stay in the NHL."