Devils' Sheldon Keefe Has New Options For Fourth Line

NEWARK, N.J. -- With injuries to Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian, New Jersey Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe was playing a fourth line comprised of Kurtis MacDermid, Justin Dowling, and Tomas Tatar.

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A change was expected, with Dowling averaging 8:13 of ice time per game and MacDermid 5:47.

On Monday evening, the organization announced a few roster moves that give Keefe some combinations to play with for his fourth line. Forwards Shane Bowers and Nolan Foote were recalled from the Utica Comets (AHL).

Bowers has three assists in 13 games with the Comets. He has mostly been utilized as a center but opened the season as a winger. At 6′2″, he can play with an edge and showed some physicality in the Comets' most recent game against the Syracuse Crunch.

Foote has nine points (four goals, five assists) through 12 games. He is credited with 29 shots, second-most on the team behind Brian Halonen. Since Oct. 25, he has been the team's top right winger.

It is worth noting that Foote and Dowling have played a couple of games this season on the same line, while he has not played alongside Bowers yet this season.

Keefe has a couple of days before his team's next game against the Carolina Hurricanes and can now mix and match between Bowers, Dowling, Foote, MacDermid, and Tatar.

The Devils will practice on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 10:30 A.M. and then we will see what combinations Keefe and his staff want to experiment with.

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