Should the Canadiens Take a Swing at Jack Devine?

Every year some players could become available late summer due to his NHL team not signing him after he finishes out his senior season. One such player is Jack Devine who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NHL Draft and is currently playing in his senior at the University of Denver.

Related: Canadiens First-Round Prospect On Fire to Begin NCAA Career

Early on in his career, he was a part of the NTDP playing for the U17 and U18 squads. I liked him but he was skinny and certainly not the speediest of players and that made him available late in the draft. It was a swing worth taking for the Florida Panthers.

Now, I wonder if Florida has to be more selective with their ELCs so he falls by the wayside. He’s 6’0”, 187 pounds so he’s not a smaller player. This just might be a situation where he’s not great at anything but good at a lot of things but the fact that he’s not a burner could be the biggest issue.

Devine is a well-respected player at Denver. He has 28 points in 20 games this year. His goal totals are down so far this season.

He’s a good skater and, a hard worker. He can be physical. He is always there to pick up rebounds to score. He is smart. His hockey I.Q. makes up for any deficiencies that he has.

He could be a future third-line player for the Canadiens if he can make it. You could sign him, give him a few NHL games, and see what he does in Laval. I’d do it without hesitation. It’s worth the risk.