10 TAKEAWAYS: Last One Before The Season

This is it. We're finally here.
The last edition of 10 Takeaways before the Devils season begins.
In just the short week since we last met, what's old has become new again with Jesper Bratt and Sami Vatanen signing contracts, and I've been scoping out behind the scenes at practice, watching the additional work Jack Hughes has been putting in.
That and more, on this week's 10 Takeaways:

1. Bratt Is Back

This one feels good to finally write.
It took some time, but the deal is finally done. Jesper Bratt will be back with the Devils for the 2020-21 season. The deal is two years, with a total $5.5 million value.
Fitzgerald has always included Jesper's name in the mix when he would talk about the young core that he and is his team are building around.
"Extremely excited," Fitzgerald said of the two sides coming to an agreement, "You know this like this, sometimes the business side takes a little bit longer than you expected or wanted but at the end of the day, we're ecstatic that Jesper is back in the mix here, enjoying the rest of this young crew and get back to work."

2. Signed, but Not Quite Delivered

Much like Sami Vatanen (who I get to in Number 5), we won't see Bratt immediately. He is still awaiting his work visa, a process that could only be started once a contract was signed. Fitzgerald says they're "at the mercy of the immigration process". Once that process is complete, Bratt can make his way back to New Jersey but then must quarantine before being able to be cleared with the rest of the team.
That's just the nature of the world we're currently living in, but ultimately the important part is that a deal is done and sooner rather than later Bratt will be back cheers-ing his teammates with Gatorade during warmups.

3. Welcome back, Sami!

There's just about everything to love about the news that Sami Vatanen is on his way back to New Jersey, signing as a free-agent on January 7th, to rejoin the club after he was traded at the 2020 Deadline to Carolina. He's back in New Jersey, less than a year after Fitzgerald traded him to Carolina.
Great move there by the Devils GM. He turned Sami into a prospect (Janne Kuokkanen) and a conditional pick, and then went ahead and scooped up Vatanen for a second time.
He's also a great locker room guy. Let's just say he keeps things interesting. As Damon Severson, who sat next to Sami in the locker room the last three years, says, "Sami is goofy." You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who Sami couldn't get a laugh out of. I'm no exception. Sami has a knack for playfulness, especially when I'm doing interviews in and around his locker room area. He likes to jump in with questions of his own, or sometimes get his hockey stick right next to my microphone, trying to play the part of reporter himself.

He's a locker room treasure.

4. Jack Working Overtime

Mark Recchi may have been more of an assist-man (956 in 1652 games), but he wasn't a slouch either when it came to goal-scoring (577). So, it should come as no surprise that Jack Hughes has been leaning on his new assistant coach for some extra work on his shot, once practice has wrapped up. The two can often be seen in conversation, Jack firing at the net off of passes from Recchi, sometimes for up to 25 minutes after his teammates have left the ice after an arduous practice. =
"I really do believe that's part of the value [of Mark Recchi]," Ruff told the Speak of the Devils Podcast, "I think, you're talking to a Hall of Famer, a guy who has played the number of games he's played. He's been able to play the game, be an elite goal scorer in the league. [A] Smaller player that had to find ways of creating his own opportunities using his speed, and then at times, knowing that you have to play very well defensively."
"Mark has seen it, he's done it all. And I just think it's a tremendous asset for us to have him and for Jack to use him."

I should also note, I've seen Ty Smith linger around during these informal sessions as well.

5. One Group

With just one day left of training camp, and the NHL regular season starting tomorrow (Devils debut on Thursday), cuts have been made and there's more clarity on the roster that will begin the season.
On Tuesday, all players on waivers cleared, that includes Nick Merkley. The AHL roster is beginning to take shape too, with forwards Nate Schnarr and Brett Seney; defensemen: Kevin Bahl, Nikita Okhotiuk and Reilly Walsh, and goaltender Evan Cormier being assigned to the AHL club.
The Devils also picked up goaltender Eric Comrie off of waivers from Winnipeg.

6. Recognizing History

The Boston Bruins announced that they will retire the number 22 for Willie O'Ree on February 18th. The Devils will have the honor of being the opponent that night, and around for the moment.
O'Ree broke the color barrier when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins, on January 18th, 1958 in a game against the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the first player of color in league history. It was a moment he described as "the greatest thrill of my life, I believe. I will always remember this day."
O'Ree is currently the NHL's Diversity Ambassador, a role he's held since 1998.

7. Sharangovich Speaks

If you want to talk about one player who has taken every opportunity and run with it, that has to be Belarussian forward Yegor Sharangovich. During the fall he was scoring at a furious pace in the KHL on loan with Dinamo Minsk, and it's all translated to his time during Devils training camp. He's put on a show during all three camp games, scoring twice in the opening game (and adding a shootout goal), and has seamlessly fit in with the veterans of the team.
I was happy when he agreed to do an interview together, I haven't talked to him maybe more than a 'hello' in the hallway at times, but Mark Dennehy had told me he's got a great personality and a really funny guy. That personality came through when we were talking, most notably when I asked him what he hopes the coaching staff from New Jersey is seeing from his game and who he is as a player… I have to give him credit, it was short but sweet and frankly to the point.

"That I score goals," he said with a chuckle and a huge smile.
What coaching staff wouldn't want that!

8. Y to an I

A slight change in the way you now write Nikita Okhotiuk's name. He's switched the 'Y' we have been used to seeing on his Ottawa 67s uniform, to an "I". I asked him why. He said because that's how it is on his passport.
Can't argue with that logic.

9. The Little Things

It's truly the little things, everyone. Like the sudden appearance of the Devils logo at the end of a hashtag. It's back on Twitter when you use the hashtag "#NJDevils". I probably got way too excited about it, but you have to admit, the little logo in every tweet just brings every tweet a little more color - literally.

10. Almost There

It has been such a long time coming. So much has happened since the last time the Devils faced off against a National Hockey League opponent. So I did my best work by asking Google to figure how the exact amount of time between the last game and opening night for New Jersey:
Let's take into consideration that a 7 pm game normally means a puck drop at 7:07 pm. According to the game box score, the game lasted two hours and 19 minutes, which would mean the last Devils game ended at 9:28 on March 10th, 2020.
When the team returns for their 7 pm season opener against the Boston Bruins it will be 309 days, 21 hours, 32 minutes since the game against the Penguins ended. Let's break it down more: 10 months, 3 days, 21 hours, 32 minutes. And then there's the one that really hit home, the time lapsed is equal to 84.90% of a common year.