With three preseason games under their belt, the New Jersey Devils still look to improve.
The Devils have had a tricky preseason thus far as they look to wrap up the next four games. With many players coming off postseason surgeries, an early exit from preseason to travel to Prague and injuries still lingering the Devils have had to manage a bit differently.
In the first game of the preseason, some of the Devils NHL roster players were held out for precautionary reasons. Players who had surgeries during the offseason were kept out of the lineup to give themselves more time to heal. This includes players like Jack Hughes and Timo Meier. The two star forwards made their preseason debut during the third game of preseason.
Despite holding out some of the star players, the roster for the first game saw 13 NHL players. During the first game, Devils fans got their first glimpse at Jacob Markstrom in the net. He played for two periods and looked calm and collected behind his new team.
Captain Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt seem to already be in midseason form as they both netted one goal each. With the shortened preseason, having players ready for the season is vital.
Dougie Hamilton was back in action for the first time since his season-ending injury last year. He wasted no time getting back into action as he could be seen ripping shots from every angle. With his return, the defense’s offense gained a major boost.
With the team leaving for Prague, new head coach Sheldon Keefe wanted to get the NHL players time on the ice to create chemistry and shake off the rust of the offseason.
The second game of the preseason was not as NHL heavy since the Devils played at home the next day.
The penalty kill was on display eight times, killing each penalty. Jonas Seigenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic played big minutes, both playing over 20 minutes, including over five minutes of penalty kill time.
Jake Allen, most likely the backup goaltender for the 24-25 season, looked good in his first game of the preseason, allowing one goal past him.
The third game of the preseason was the worst game of the preseason thus far. Even with a heavy NHL roster, the Devils had defensive breakdowns, lazy plays and another defeat. It will be interesting to see how the Devils and head coach Keefe respond when they take on the New York Islanders tomorrow night.
Despite not having a good night overall as a team, the first unit of the powerplay was finally able to get some game time together. Although they did not end up finding the back of the net, they showed real potential for the regular season and could be a lethal powerplay group.
Brendan Dillon was able to pick up his first goal in the Devils sweater in the first period, while Hischier and Jack Hughes had a late surge and added one goal each, but ultimately was not enough to help the Devils find their first win of the season.
Throughout the preseason, Devils fans saw a line of Paul Cotter, Curtis Lazar and Nate Bastian, the potential fourth line. This trio saw 5v5, power play and penalty kill time during their games. Head coach Keefe complimented their play during the game against the Canadiens.
Another notable change for the Devils is the size on defense. The tall defenders do not go unnoticed as they tower over the forwards, even some on their own team. With Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes eventually added in after returning from injury, the Devils will have half of their starting defenders over 6 ‘3″.
Some fans might be worried about the 0-3 start in the preseason, while others might think it’s a good thing as they remember the undefeated preseason last year which led to a very disappointing season.
With the Devils leaving for Prague to participate in the Global Series, the Devils will have one last game Friday night where the entire NHL roster can play together. Expect the roster tomorrow night to be similar to the roster for opening night.
The Devils open up the Global Series Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. ET against the Buffalo Sabres.
