A Long-Term Commitment | 10 TAKEAWAYS

Well, where to start? Jack Hughes is back and he'll also be back for eight more seasons.
Nathan Bastian has returned fresh off waivers.
And a hat (a Hat hat) steals the show.
It's been quite the week for the New Jersey Devils and in this week's 10 Takeaway's presented by Ticketmaster, Amanda Stein has you covered!

1.

Jack Hughes is a great kid. I've had the privilege of being around him since the moment he was drafted by the Devils and covering every story he's been a part of.
But there's no moment quite as special as watching a young player sign a contract off their Entry Level deal, especially one that is a long-term commitment between the player and club. I had the honor of being there for Nico Hischier putting pen to paper and now, Jack doing the same. When you look at that moment for what it is, it's a player and a general manager putting their signatures on a piece of paper, and yet there is always that moment, seconds after the two signatures are signed and handed off to be filed with the NHL that whatever player is in that chair sits back and takes a huge sigh of relief, a smile no doubt plastered on their faces. It's too easy to suggest the smile is there because of the money listed on a contract because I truly believe, particularly in the circumstances of the Devils, there is this genuine feeling of officially 'being home' and being a part of something special that's building in New Jersey. Jack signed the contract and immediately sat back in his chair, a huge grin on his face.
"I will have lived here at least 11 years by the end of this contract," Hughes told me in an interview moments after the signing. "I've dedicated most of my adult life to New Jersey."

2.

Now, all that being said, I did not necessarily appreciate one of my closest friends calling me right after the Hughes extension news broke to tell me, and I quote, "Have you realized yet that you'll be in your early 40s when Jack's new deal is about to expire?"
I hadn't.
And I was okay not realizing that!
Friends, I tell you, they really keep you grounded!

3.

If there's one consistent thing I've always said and known about
Jack is his outward honesty and his outward confidence
. Jack is unafraid to bet on himself publicly. When I asked Jack about the impact he's made on the fanbase here in New Jersey, all those 86 jerseys that fill the stands at Prudential Center, he once again grabbed onto the moment
"Now I have to return the favor and be a star for the next decade. I know it'll come, and I know it'll happen. It's an extremely exciting time in New Jersey."
I love those words, it's refreshing to hear something like that. And I truly believe it represents a shift with the new generation of NHL talent entering the league. A player like Jack, he'll always be a team-first guy, but he'll also have no problem expressing how confident he is in his own abilities. And he's not afraid to tell you what he thinks of his own potential.
"I know a lot of people expect a lot out of me. I'm at the top of the chart there," Hughes said. "I believe I'm going to be a superstar in the league and I'm well on my way."
Tweet from @NJDevils: A little light reading on this beautiful Hughesday.https://t.co/b05w7ZOf7d

4.

Never has my Twitter timeline blown up the way it did when Nathan Bastian was put on waivers by the Seattle Kraken. No matter what I tweeted about, the responses were something along the lines of 'who cares, claim Nate!' It was non-stop. I knew the fans loved Nate, but it almost felt like a unique scenario because of the role that he plays. It's something that he mentioned too when I asked him about seeing all the fan reaction after the club announced he had been claimed.
"It's actually really cool," Nate said of the fan reaction. "It's really interesting because I'm not a guy who has all this high scoring (ability) but I like to think I find a way to make an impact and the fans in Jersey have always been great to me and appreciate what I do. It kind of feels like I'm coming back home."
And it's true, you don't always see that type of reaction for a player who makes their living on the fourth line (although capable as well to be moved up the lineup when need-be). Whatever is the reason for the attachment between the fan base and Bastian, I know it's reciprocated by him too.

5.

That night in Nashville I was sitting in the press box alongside the scratches, both healthy and injured. Christian Jaros and I were having a good laugh after he told me that he and Bastian both

in the American Hockey League, other than that they hadn't really met before or since. Now they're teammates. But the most important part was now who would have the friendly chirping rights. I got to play the mediator of this scenario and upon further review of the video have rated the fight as a draw and thus no one is entitled to bragging/chirping rights.
Both players have been informed. And both have agreed with my analysis.

6.

I looked back to where the players sit on the plane when we travel, just moments after 2 p.m. on Thursday when it was official Bastian was re-joining the club. I don't think I've ever seen such a big smile on Mike McLeod's face and you should have seen the way the rest of the team was rallying around him, knowing his best friend was on his way back.

7.

This week really made me believe even more so in the future of this club with the core that currently exists.
Hearing Bastian's teammates describe his return as a family member coming home, or a dream getting 'one of our boys back', felt like a really good reminder of how this Devils team, as young as they are, are growing into the league together, as a team. You want a foundation of players who will fight on the ice for each other, want to pull in the same direction and accomplish their goals together. Listening to those comments from Andreas Johnsson and Hughes about Bastian is this really bright reminder that here in New Jersey there is a core that is learning and growing together, and they want to do it together as a group, as a team and every cog in the machine is appreciated for what they bring.
You want to talk about a team guy? Nathan Bastian is your guy.

8.

The NHL really will take you sometimes to places you never thought you'd get to go. There are cities and states that wouldn't have been atop my travel bucket list, but I'm glad either way I've gotten to experience some of them. I bring it up because I was talking to Dawson Mercer earlier this week and it suddenly hit me that this kid, from one of the furthest points East in Canada, is not only experiencing his first full season as a professional, but every single city we have traveled to, including New York City, was a first-time destination for Dawson. The team doesn't always have time to explore, and weoften only see the route from the hotel to the rink, but there are certainly days where we have a little more flexibility or even an off day on the road. Every single day is a new experience. It's part of the game I had never really thought about until I worked with the Devils, especially with such a young group. Every experience, every city was new for at least someone going through their first NHL season. That's a lot going on and I don't know if I'd be able to take it all in so well at 20 years old.

9.

I didn't want this quote from Lindy Ruff to get lost in the fold; because I think it is important to pay attention to it. I see the reaction online and the questions about lineup decisions and without being asked the question directly, the Devils head coach shared some insight into a player like Mason Geertsen being in the lineup against the Flyers. He's a player who is in and out of the lineup, but plays a valuable team role that on the outside we may not fully understand.
"I think that's a big deal," Ruff said after Geertsen fought Philly's Zack Macwan. "We're sometimes a little smaller. He provides a safe working environment for everybody. We've got Jack coming back. I don't want players taking liberties with our players. That's what he's here for. You couldn't have pulled many guys down when they were standing going on. Plus, he's a great team guy."
I can tell how well liked Mason is. In the time that I have spent around him, I can see how much his teammates like him, how they have fun with him, and how when he does get in the lineup, the respect they have in him playing the role he does. Does he always drop the gloves? No. But as Lindy said, his presence can be a deterrence for opponents to take liberties. He is always full of positivity, supportive of and by his teammates, and is a great personality to be around.
10.
Yeah, we at the Devils can take a joke.
And turn it into a great opportunity.
Tweet from @NJDevils: Tweet.🛒: https://t.co/VVUDZNAeIy pic.twitter.com/TKTQxrpDwS
There were only so few Hat hat's available, the first batch sold out in seconds and all proceeds are headed their way to the Devils Youth Foundation.
Tweet from @NJDevils: Surprised it wasn���t a banner. At least you have two jokes now. https://t.co/KgwMFoZafj