Back to the Future | BLOG

With the return of more Devils players from the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list, the team has reached its own version of herd immunity. With 17 members of the team (and that's not counting those in Utica of the American Hockey League) having already contracted the virus, the vast majority of the team won't have to worry about missing any upcoming games due to COVID (at least for the next 90 days).
"It's not easy but it is what it is. Other teams are going though it too," said captain Nico Hischier, who was one of the first players on the team to have a positive test in December. "You have to battle through it, battle for those guys that aren't in the lineup."
"The majority of the team has had it and if they haven't had it, hopefully they stay away from it or get it done sooner than later because we need those important pieces down the stretch," said alternate captain Damon Severson, who has recovered from his own bout with the virus. "It sucks missing your key guys during games. It's an important thing for sure. Hopefully we put it behind us and just focus on the games ahead."

The games ahead include the entire second half of the season. The Devils enjoyed a strong start to the season, going 4-2-1. However, a tough stretch in November was only exacerbated by the outbreak of the virus within the team.
"We had a really good start. Dipped off a little bit with injuries and COVID issues, as everyone did in the league. We went on a skid for a while and that hurts you," Severson said.
The first half of the season is difficult to analyze as the team missed the services of Jack Hughes for 16 games and the COVID outbreak has forced the team to play one game short one man (Dec. 18 at Detroit) and another with an emergency backup goaltender serving as the team's actual backup (Jan. 13 at NY Islanders).
Every game has featured at least 2-5 players out, and some being made unavailable as late as the night of the game.
"I'm surprised the guys who haven't gotten stuff or tested positive," Severson joked in seriousness.
With the recent postponements of a road trip to Canada over the weekend (Montreal and Toronto) and a home game the previous week (Tampa Bay), the Devils played one game in a 10-day stretch. The final six days of that stretch included four practices and a weekend off the ice (Saturday and Sunday).
"To be honest it's really weird," Hischier admitted with a smile. "During the season, two days off, I don't think we'll ever get that again during a season. We'll obviously take it. It's almost like camp again. Lots of practice, being sharp out there and picking up what the coaches say, try to improve as a team."
And coming out of this mini version of training camp, the Devils will have four straight home games. A perfect recipe to start the push into the second half of the season.
"It's always easier to play at home in front of your fans," Hischier said. "Their excited to see us play again. The focus is on the Arizona game (Wednesday night). We really want to come out there and win a hockey game."
Hischier isn't looking too far down the road beyond that next game.
"To be honest I'm trying not to think too much. I'm just looking forward to improving as a team, improve myself, become a better hockey team, win more games," he said of the second half. "That's what we're really trying to do moving forward here."