Devils Hold Open Practice Sunday | NOTEBOOK

The Devils held an open practice with Black and Red Members filling the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center. The squads worked mostly on specialty situations (4-on-4, power play/penalty kill, 6-on-5, 3-on-3 and shootouts).
The Devils have three preseason games remaining this week against Boston (Monday) at NY Islanders (Thursday) and at Boston (Saturday).
"To see them enjoying some of the special plays inside of the 6-on-5, 4-on-4, 3-on-3. When they see somebody do something special you can hear the crowd noise," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "It's one thing to watch it on TV or see it somewhere else, but to see it live it's special for your fans, and to be that close."
"We were laughing, smiling," forward Dawson Mercer said. "I was enjoying the full practice. Seeing the fans there, they're smiling and that's obviously a bonus for us."
Stay tuned in the notebook for more info, stories and videos from today's practice.

Eyes on Zetterlund
The Devils have three preseason games remaining on their schedule and many roster decisions to make. One player that is trying to stake his claim for an NHL position is forward Fabian Zetterlund.
The 5-foot-11, 225-pound forward has shown a unique blend of speed, power and tenacity to go along with some skilled hands. That was all on displayed last season. First in Utica of the American Hockey League where he scored 24 goals and 52 points. Then in the NHL where he posted three goals and eight points in 14 games, and two goals in his last two games.
He's certainly put himself on the coaching staff's radar.
"Skating well. Competing hard. We got a good look at him at the end of last year," Ruff said. "I thought he played some real good games for us. We want to see if he can push up and be a consistent scorer. Is he a guy that will just be really hard to play against? He's a guy that we're looking at these next few games to see what he brings."
Zetterlund, 23, for his part is just trying to earn his keep.
"I just try to take it shift (by) shift, do my best every shift that I can," he said. "That's part of my game to show them who I am and what I can bring to this team. I do my best out there."

Written:

• FEATURE: Marino Making Smooth Transition
• FEATURE: Flexibility with Forwards Gives Devils Advantage
• FEATURE: Laberge's Unlikely Journey

Video:

• Between Two Bratts
• REWIND: Blackwood Shines