Weekend Workday | NOTEBOOK

The weekend doubled as a work day for the Devils on Saturday, back on the ice after their loss to the Washington Capitals. 

Michael McLeod, Erik Haula and Luke Hughes were all absent, all three held off the ice for maintenance days. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes and Colin Miller also remained absent, which left just 16 skaters on the ice for the 45-minute session.

Take Your Opportunity

"We have to be serious, some of our offensive creativity, with Nico and Jack out of the lineup, isn't there," Lindy Ruff said after the Devils loss to the Capitals. "But at the same time, you've got to have other players step in and replace that creativity and replace those roles those guys were assuming."

That doesn't mean Ruff expects his players to come in and suddenly turn into a Jack or Nico type player, but it means that he expects to see those players left in the lineup find their way, successfully, without the top two forwards.

The team will look different, the creativity will look different, but that certainly doesn't mean it's too big a hill to climb.

"With those two players missing, there's really no fixed lines," Ruff explained, "but I think there's sometimes matchups you can look for that can put some of our players in a better position."

But it's what players do with that 'better position' that is beyond a coach's control. That's the time when the player has to put the onus on themselves to create something.

"I think a lot of guys look at it like, 'boy I'm going to get a lot more ice-time'," Ruff continued, "I'm being serious about that, they feel like this is their opportunity to try and grab a hold a little bit and prove that I can play a little more. And that's the way I want every player to approach it. When (Jack and Nico) are not there, there's nothing you can do about it. But when you're playing you can take control of your own shifts."

That mentality was echoed by veteran Curtis Lazar.

When the bench was tightened against the Washington Capitals, there was a rotation of nine forwards who played the majority of the third period as the team looked to find any spark. Curtis Lazar was one of those forwards who took nine shifts in the third and played a total of 13:29.

"For guys that are playing here, it's more of an opportunity," Curtis Lazar added, "You've got to embrace that, you've got to rise to that. Of course, we miss Jack, Nico, Colin, the list goes on and on. You've got to play hard, take pride in representing this team. Every one is capable of doing the job. When it comes down to the offense am I going to be out there dancing like Jack Hughes? Absolutely not, but what I can do is play the strong game down low, holding onto pucks and kind of get those gritty goals."

Nothing Is Given

Just because ice time is available in the absence of injured players, certainly doesn't mean it's going to be given away. It has to be earned. And there are two important factors that play into how that ice time is divvied up. 

And it's pretty simple, as Ruff explained: "If you are on the ice and get scored against and you’re not scoring, it’s tough to get ice time."

Missing for Maintenance

When players take maintenance days it can be for a variety of reasons, but they are in the building and around, they're just held off the ice. Those players are a part of team meetings and often will do off-ice work, whether its in the gym, stretching or receiving treatment for whatever bumps and bruises they may carry as all players do as the season rolls along.

The 20-year-old Hughes has played heavy minutes to start the season, averaging 19:38 time on ice, carrying a hefty load for a young rookie. Haula and McLeod, too have been playing extended minutes in the absence of Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes, so maintenance days should not feel out of the ordinary.

There isn't much to come by for line combinations and pairings today with just 16 players on the ice. Along with Hischier and Hughes, Colin Miller also remains absent.

Lindy Ruff did mention, however, that Miller, who has been out since suffering a lower-body injury during practice on Oct. 19, may be able to join the club on the upcoming road trip. The Devils leave on Monday for a two-game trip, first in Winnipeg on Tuesday night, followed by a game against the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Thursday.