Devils Return Home for a Practice | NOTEBOOK

In the middle of their five-game trip, the Devils are practicing in Newark a few days before the Dallas/Nashville/Carolina portion of the road swing. 

Stay tuned to the notebook for the latest info, updates, interviews, videos and more from the practice session!

PRACTICE UNDERWAY

Everyone currently healthy on the Devils roster is on the ice at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House. 

There are no changes to the lineup from the previous game in Washington:

STAYING THE COURSE

The Devils returned to the ice in Newark with a clear message: stay with what’s working.

Even after a loss in Washington, head coach Sheldon Keefe said the group remains confident in its game, pointing to the larger body of work since the Olympic break.

“I think the guys are in a good place,” Keefe said. “Even coming off a loss the other night, especially with how the game finished and the push that we had, more importantly how we’ve played in totality since coming back from the break, the guys believe in our game and how we’re playing and in themselves.”

That belief has allowed the Devils to maintain continuity in both lineup and identity. Keefe has resisted the urge to make changes, instead trusting the group to work through stretches within games.

“The group has found a good groove,” Keefe said. “There’s been no reason to change anything at this point. It’s a sign that things are going well.”

The next challenge comes quickly. The Devils are entering a demanding stretch that will test both their depth and their ability to sustain their level of play.

“It’s thirteen games in twenty-two days,” Keefe said. “There’s not going to be a lot of practice time going forward. We’re just going to be in game mode, and guys probably like it that way.”

For a team that has recently found its rhythm, that schedule could be an advantage. The Devils are no longer searching for their identity. They are reinforcing it.

The focus now shifts to execution, with little time to reset between games. For Keefe, that means continuing to trust the process while understanding the urgency of the moment.

“We know that we’re running out of time,” he said. “But with what we can control right now, we feel pretty good about what the guys have done.”

FINDING WAYS THROUGH DIFFERENT GAMES

The Devils have built their recent success on speed and transition. Washington took that away.

In a game where rush opportunities were limited, Keefe said the Devils were forced to adjust on the fly against one of the league’s most structured defensive teams.

“They weren’t overly interested in making it a rush game,” Keefe said. “They dumped a lot of pucks, set up in their one-one-three structure, and had five guys above the puck consistently.”

For a team that has thrived off pace, that presented a different kind of challenge.

“As a team that’s been playing with a high pace and dominating on the rush, now that’s really not available,” Keefe said. “You’ve got to find your way through that, and that takes time.”

The adjustment came gradually. By the third period, the Devils began to create more sustained offensive pressure, working below the dots and getting closer to the net.

“In the third period, we started to make some plays, get underneath them more at the net and play lower in the zone,” Keefe said.  

Keefe emphasized that the difference was not effort, but circumstance.

“It’s not effort-based,” he said. “We’re playing against one of the top defensive teams in the league. It’s not going to look the way you want all the time.”

That lesson will carry forward. As the Devils head into a road trip featuring teams with similar defensive structure and net-front strength, their ability to adapt will be critical.

CONFIDENCE BUILDING

Inside the Devils’ room, the difference is tangible.

For Brenden Dillon, the biggest shift has been the team’s belief that it can handle any type of game, regardless of score or style.

“I think the confidence in the group, if we’re down a goal or up a goal, we’re not out of any game,” Dillon said.  

That confidence has been built through experience over the past stretch. Games that could have slipped away have instead reinforced the group’s resilience.

“The LA game, we found a way,” Dillon said. “The Rangers game, we rolled our confidence into that. Even Washington, we had chances to win that one.”

The improvement in offensive production has also changed the team’s mindset.

“We’ve been scoring more goals, which has been nice,” Dillon said. “If we are down one, it’s not that feeling of hoping something goes our way. We feel like we can push back.”

That mentality has strengthened the group’s togetherness.

“Confidence in your teammates,” Dillon said. “The confidence that you’re not going to let the guy down beside you.”

As the Devils prepare for a difficult road trip, that internal belief will be tested. The upcoming opponents present different challenges, but Dillon sees it as an opportunity for the group to continue building.

“There’s not an easy game,” he said. “But it’s a good time for us to get that togetherness, mesh as a group even more, and make sure we’re on top of it.”

INJURY UPDATES

The Devils are continuing to monitor the status of two key players on the injured list, but neither appears close to returning.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe said that Stefan Noesen will not return this season after his recovery required an additional procedure.

“Noesen's ruled out for the remainder of the season,” Keefe said. “The recovery wasn’t going the way they thought it would, and he had to get another procedure. It just wasn’t going to be feasible for him to push to get back this season.”

On the back end, Brett Pesce is progressing, but remains without a clear timeline.

“Pesce is progressing,” Keefe said. “I don’t have a timeline. He hasn’t skated, so it’s not imminent. I would call his ability to return questionable for the rest of the season.”

With a busy stretch ahead, the Devils will continue forward without both players while leaning on their current group to carry the load.