Leaf call-up ‘dream’ date for Devane and Abbott
Perseverance paying dividends after injuries and Clarkson ban open up ice time for rookies
Morgan Rielly, Spencer Abbott and Jamie Devane all arrived in the NHL at the exact same time. All three had very different journeys. Rielly’s story is well-documented: highly touted 19-year-old defenceman, fifth-overall pick in 2012, world junior star. He has performed at the highest levels. Scouts love him.
Scouts didn’t think so much of Abbott and Devane. Theirs is a story of perseverance.
Take Devane. The Leafs had drafted him in the third round, 68th overall, in 2009. At six-foot-five and 220 pounds with a penchant for fighting, he was a clear favourite of Brian Burke, the kind of player the pugnacious Leafs would need.
A year ago, however, Devane was in the rough-and-tumble East Coast Hockey League.
“It was still really disappointing, one of the lows of my career,” Devane said of that demotion. “I remember when I first went down there, I was disappointed and pissed off.
“I started picking it up. When I got the call back up to the Marlies, I said there would be no way I was ever going to get sent back down there.”
Devane was in the ECHL for a couple of months on an expansion team, the San Francisco Bulls, yet only got into 12 games. His coach, former OHL bench boss Pat Curcio, loved what he saw.
“He worked real hard,” said Curcio. “When he was in the lineup, he played an intimidating style, but he showed he had some skill. He made plays. He killed penalties.”
Devane was the best player on the Bulls — a fight, a couple of assists — when they played before a crowd of 14,000 against Stockton in the SAP Center, home of the San Jose Sharks.
“He does have skill for a big man,” added Curcio, who also saw Devane play for Plymouth of the OHL when Curcio was an assistant with the London Knights.
“From his rookie year to his second year to his third year, he developed. He started to score goals. He killed penalties. His skill level continued to get better. If he continues to develop his skill, when you add that physical element and his ability to fight the heavyweights — I don’t want to go too far, but the possibility that he can become a (Milan) Lucic-type player is not out of the question.”
Abbott might have been more of a long shot. Devane was at least drafted. Abbott was overlooked by both the NHL and OHL, playing instead for the Maine Black Bears — and blossomed.
At 25 years of age, the undersized underdog made his NHL debut.
“I’ve had to fight for everything I got in hockey. . . . It took a while, but I’m finally here.” SPENCER ABBOTT
“I’ve had to fight for everything I got in hockey,” said Abbott, five-foot-nine and 170 pounds. “I was on the smaller side. It took a while, but I’m finally here.”
He played three games with the Marlies at the end of the 2011-12 season, then 55 last year. And when a hole in the Leaf lineup appeared — from David Clarkson’s 10-game suspension — the Leafs put in the call to Abbott. He was asleep at the time.
“Obviously it’s what you dream of as a kid, playing in the NHL,” said Abbott. “It’s one of the best moments of my life. It’s pretty special.
“I was having a nap at home and the good news came. I wasn’t really expecting it at all.”
Both Devane and Abbott had excellent training camps. Devane was among the final cuts.
“When I was sent down, it was all positive talk from management, coaches,” said Devane. “When I got the call I didn’t really expect it, so it was a dream come true.
“I was talking to my sister about that, about how . . . I was all the way down there in the dumps in the ECHL and now I’m here.”
Abbott continued to excel at Marlies camp.
“He had a strong training camp for us,” said Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. “When he went back to the Marlies, in their two exhibition games, he was clearly the best player on the ice.”
Abbott got the call after Nikolai Kulemin broke a bone in his ankle after taking a shot in Friday’s practice. Devane got in when it was determined Carter Ashton couldn’t go.
The Leafs also have Frazer McLaren on injured reserve while weathering the 10game Clarkson suspension.
Both Devane and Abbott were officially back with the Marlies on Sunday — part of the roster yo-yo act that teams have to perform when pressed up against the salary cap.
Every day the player spends with the minor league team saves the NHL club a bit of cap space.