Notebook Jan21

Changes were made at practice today as head coach Sheldon Keefe and his staff look for ways to spark the offense in the lineup. New Jersey's offensive game has recently slipped, having score three goals or less in 11 straight games and just six goals in their last four games.

“Just looking to change it up and see if we can create some new chemistry that has some things fall into place,” Keefe said. “We’ve been very patient with the group that we’ve gone with and only subtle changes most of the season (…) there are some pretty dramatic shifts in there, but I look at it as a little more subtle. You still have pairs. You’ve split up some pairs but you maintain some."

And while it can be easy to zero in solely on the lack of scoring, Jesper Bratt spoke about embracing the journey that is a full season, one where a team will undoubtedly face any number of dips in their collective game.

“We kind of excited for the journey to battle through this,” Bratt said. “We’re all committed. We’re having a great group that no one is calling eachother, everyone is taking responsibility for their own work."

And while the team is working through finding their offensive touch again, it's important to note that their defensive game hasn't slipped in the process.

“It’s important to keep perspective here, we haven’t played great, but we’ve been in every single game and that is because we’ve built a good foundation here. Early on our California road trip, defensively we were not strong, giving up too much, but we’ve really tightened that up again. And done a good job defensively. Now we’ve got to find a way to balance that with the offensive side. You can’t slip offensively because of it, just like you can’t slip defensively while you search for offense, it’s really that balance. The teams that do it best with that balance are the elite teams and that’s what we’re trying to get to.”

Check out the Devils Notebook for the latest info, updates, interviews, videos and more from the practice session!

Keefe talks to the media after practice on Tuesday

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Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

Devils players discusses the impact of coaches ahead of Lemaire's Ring of Honor induction

The Shuffle

As head coach Sheldon Keefe looks for some answers to spark his offense, there were some changes at practice on Tuesday. Some notable changes in places were on the wings, including reuniting a duo of Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt.

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Returning to practice today for the first time since training camp was Santeri Hatakka, who has been out since the preseason with a shoulder injury that required surgery. Hatakka was in a non-contact jersey and skated as a fourth defense pairing with Justin Dowling, who assumed that spot to even out the rotations.

Keefe went into detail after practice to outline his thought process while constructing new lines, emphasizing the desire to keep certain duos together while also shaking things up a bit. It's the first time in a long time that we've seen any significant line changes.

"I generally like to keep pairs together and not mix it up too much,” Keefe added. “The reason why we’ve kept the lines as they have been for so long is, I believe that’s the ideal lines for our group, and they’ve done really well. So you want to trust it and run with it but doesn’t mean that something different can’t work for the short-term or maybe something works out to be better. I don’t expect all four lines to click and be like these are our lines for the rest of the year but it can get us through a bit of a funk here and get up going, perhaps."

“We shook it up a little bit but we’re all with guys we’re familiar with, comfortable with," Bratt said. "For me, me and Nico have played a lot of games together over the years and right now we’re excited to play with each other. I know exactly what he brings to the table and he knows what I bring too. Especially with Noesen there we’ve got a fantastic net-front guy that I know he’s going to do the hard work for us to create those areas.”

Bratt talks to the media after practice on line changes

Best of Bass

Keefe spoke at length today about the play of forward Nathan Bastian, who, amidst the Devils struggles, has been one of the brighter spots as he solidifies his own personal game. Keefe called Bastian's recent play 'terrific' and explained why he elected to move him up to Hughes' wing while they piece together a new-look forward group.

“He’s played his best hockey of the season," Keefe said. "He’s super confident right now. In the last stretch, bunch of games here, we’ve scored four goals at 5-on-5 and Bass has been on the ice for three of them. So he’s just working, skating off the puck and if that can help get Jack’s game going a little more straight lines and pace and simplifying things a little bit more as a line, a trio, and the way Jack and Pally work together… Bass can be around the net, I’m excited to look at that.”

As for how he hopes putting Bastian up with Hughes and Palat will impact the game: “When (Bastian's) putting his gear on, he’s confident. He’s playing with a clear mind. he’s just out there doing his thing. Other guys maybe start to overthink things a bit, he’s not. So I want to see what kind of effect that can have having him play higher in the lineup."

Lemaire to Enter Ring of Honor

Prior to the Devils hosting the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, the club will induct former head coach Jacques Lemaire as the third member of the Devils Ring of Honor. Lemaire joins Dr. John J. McMullen (inducted in 2017) and Sergei Brylin (2024).

If you're attending the game, make sure you're in your seats early for the ceremony which will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop expected to be at 7:23 p.m.

Take a trip down memory lane to all of Lemaire's accomplishments in this edition of the BIG READ:

Throughout his illustrious hockey life, Lemaire won 11 Stanley Cups (eight as a player with Montreal, two as an assistant general manager with Montreal and one as head coach of New Jersey). He’s twice won the NHL Coach of the Year, also claiming the trophy while coaching Minnesota (2003). And was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. Lemaire also won an Olympic gold medal with Canada as an assistant coach at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Being named to the Devils Ring of Honor is yet another accolade in a lifetime of achievement.

“It’s always special,” Lemaire said. “I never look for that stuff. I always stayed in the background and didn’t think about it too much. But when it happens, you do care. I’m touched.”

Check out the full Big Read here!

Remembering McVie

On January 20, 2025, former Devils head coach Tom McVie passed away at the age of 89. In his memory, we recount one of Stan Fischler's favorite stories about one of his favorite people published during the Devils' 40th anniversary season.

In between his witticisms, Tom McVie also managed to wax philosophical and media members discovered that during Tom's first press conference. Eyeing the crowd eager to hear his introductory proclamation, McVie took the reporters aback by reaching into his vast knowledge of the Old West and its heroes.

"I guess I'm supposed to ride in on a white horse and deliver," McVie said for openers. "But you can't expect me to come in here and do it alone, even though Paladin did. Those Western towns were smaller."

Over a dozen-game spread, McVie had his Devils playing solid .500 hockey. But, then potholes emerged and soon the potholes began looking more like crevasses as the losses grew.

Read the full story here.