Yes it's true; goaltender Mike McKenna invited to Devils' training camp as a tryout

Some of you have been asking, so I called Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello and he confirmed that goaltender Mike McKenna has been invited to training camp as a tryout. He is not under contract.

McKenna, 26, played in 15 games last season for the Tampa Bay Lightning and went 4-8-1 with a 3.56 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage. Those are the only NHL games on his resume. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound St. Louis native was drafted in the sixth round (172nd overall) by Nashville in 2002. 

Including McKenna, the Devils will have seven goaltenders in camp: Martin Brodeur, Yann Danis, Jeff Frazee, Gerald Coleman, Jeff Lerg, Dave Caruso (who played in Trenton and Lowell last season and also is not under contract) and McKenna.

Lamoriello said he has no plans for any other goaltenders to be in camp. So the competition to be Brodeur's backup will probably come down to Danis and Frazee. McKenna will at best be a longshot in that battle.

Lamoriello said it is possible that additional players (non-goalies) might also be invited to camp as tryouts, but none have so far.

The Devils' rookies open camp on Wednesday. The veterans report for physicals on Saturday, Sept. 12 and will be on the ice for the first time on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Comments

[bobo]

TG
Thanks for all of the updates. You're the man. Enjoy the weekend

[Steven]

Thanks TG, do you still believe the Devils will add a center, I don't want to know who, before the season starts. I mean Elias is not a center, even though he can play it.

[Andrew]

TG,

Mark Everson is throwing out rumors that the Devils are looking at Mike Comrie and Francis Boullion. I hope to God there is no truth to this, but what do you think?

[Pearl Jammed]

Mark Neverson = Eklund

[Pat]

McKenna - i'm so excited...

ASSETS: Has a very projectable frame for the goaltending position, a positive attitude and a lot of perseverance.
FLAWS: Has too many holes in his game to be considered anybody's regular backstop at the National Hockey League level.
CAREER POTENTIAL: Career backup or third-string netminder.

http://forecaster.canada.com/faceoff/hockey/player.cgi?2937

[TG]

Actually, if you read it, the NY Post story never said the Devils are looking at Mike Comrie.

I addressed that in the previous post.

[modnarm]

whatever...

[Maxwell]

Thanks for everything TG - even making new posts about random no-name, low-potential goalies coming to camp.

Enjoy the long weekend everyone. I'll be back around on Tuesday. Supposed to be nice weather so I'm hoping to chill outside with beers and burgers.

[Craigwell]

TG,

Your damned if you do, damned if you don't.

If you tried to accommodate the thirst for news, you'd end up posting all kinds of drivel. Then People would complain about that.

By not posting said drivel; your readers end up doing it for you, and complain that your not.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

[Par99]

TG, do you have any faith in the Marleau talk or no?

[.B.C.]

Hey check this out. It was my birthday yesterday, and this is the cake my mom made me. I figured most here would appreciate.

http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww358/l0ngl1ver0ck/Cake.jpg

[Tom]

Let me guess...camp is closed to the public.

[Dave]

Mmmmmmmm ...

Cake ...

(in my most authentic Homer Simpson voice)

[ThCinephile]

TG, do you have any idea when (or if) the devils will be releasing a training camp roster?

[Devilswede]

The Devils don't do business like the rest of the league. The roster might come out or it might not. It will probably happen in the last minute too...

[Pat]

OK, going back to the validity of the Hossa, Pronger, Luongo etc contracts, I found the CBA section that deals w/multi year contracts:

Article 50.7 (pg 219)
http://www.nhlpa.com/CBA/index.asp

Any decrease in player salary and bonuses from one league year to another may not exceed 50% of the player salary and bonuses of the lower of the first two league years of the contract

ex. 6 - contract provides for $1.9M in salary in year 1 and $1.9M in year 2. In year 3, the contract may not provide for less than $950k.

Now explain to me how the aforementioned contacts comply with the CBA? Could this have something to do with all of the shakeup in the NHLPA?

[TG]

Pat:

I believe all of those contracts meet the CBA requirements you mention.

I'll use Luongo deal as an example.

He'll make $10 million in the first season of the deal and $6.716 million in the second year. The lower of those two years obviously is the second year and half of $6.716 is roughly $3.35 million per season.

So, therefore "any player decrease in salary and bonuses from one league year to the next may not exceed" $3.35 million.

Years three through six of the contract pay him $6.714 million, so he's fine there.
Year 7 pays $3.382 -- a decrease of $3.32 -- which is OK by $30,000.

Year 8 pays $1.618 mil -- a decrease of $1.764 from Year 7 - also OK.

Year 9 and 10 pay $1 million each, a decrese of $618,000 -- also OK.

And, as for the NHLPA, I don't think the players have any problem with these kind of long-term contracts, so I doubt it had anything to do with Kelly's ouster. The league, on the other hand, will probably try to change the CBA in the next negotiations to eliminate this loophole in the cap system.

[carpenter]

Just letting everyone know that I saw Eric Gelinas recently play a Q-league exhibition game and he seemed head and shoulders better than the compitition.....granted it was an exhibition game....he played in all situations and seemingly played half the game....dudes a giant

[troy]

TG,
Just wanted to thank you, for confirming the McKenna rumor.I know that it's trivial in the over picture w/ the Devils, but it was just new news, and who better to ask about Devil news then you.
Thank you for your great coverage, and have a enjoyable weekend.

[MoonDragn]

Wow and i thought Gomez was overpaid. Luongo just became the biggest waste of cap space.

[Zorin]

Anyone else get the letter that showcases the lame NDJ promotional items? I hope they add more. I still eat from my Tony the Tiger Cereal bowl that I got in back at the Continental Airlines Arena. Who doesn't love a good promo item?!?!?!

[Puckster]

It's sad, but Mike McKenna being invited to training camp is probably the most exciting Devils news since Zack Parise took batting practice at the Metrodome.

[aarrgghhhh]

Hey, TG, it appears Shawn Horcoff (yeah, I know, who cares) called out Shanny based on the comments he gave to you about the Kelly situation. Looks like you might have a follow-up coming.

Apparently he said Shanny knows nothing about the NHLPA. Which tells you the current state of the NHLPA.

[A Local Fan]

WOW!!!!!!!!!! McKenna and Cory Murphy in the same off season. Lou really out did himself this summer. JK.

Just so you know I don't hate the Devils I just got frustrated with Lou. The devils will always hold a special place in my heart but I am fully dedicated to the Rangers now.

I hope I can post here and we can have civil discussions about the Devils without the name calling. I do think this current Devils team will make the playoffs.

[DevilsFanForeva!]

@ ALF

Why do you post here if you are now a Rags fan?

Please go discuss your YOUR TEAM on another blog and let us Devil's fans be!

When YOUR TEAM is in dire need of help and doesn't make the playoffs because they don't have any cap space, we Devil's fans will be laughing like we laugh at you now ;)

This is the only conversation I will have with you and I am sure the rest of us feel the same way so scram!