Summer Musings | 10 TAKEAWAYS

Hello from a bright and sunny summer day!

We’ve officially entered the quieter stretch of the NHL calendar, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to talk about. Over the past few weeks, a lot has been happening behind the scenes, and now feels like the perfect time to reflect and share a few summer musings.

Everything kicked off just before Free Agency opened, as Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and his team got to work shaping the roster for the upcoming season.

And it all began with one of the most talked-about names on the market, and arguably the top player available at his position...

1.

The timing of Jake Allen’s signing, right as free agency began, stood out. It was a positive early move that enabled GM Fitzgerald to work in other ways, and as free agency opened, the early task at hand was clear: the business that needed to get done was bringing in forwards to play up and down the lineup.

In comes Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov through the free agent market. Together, they bring significant depth and collectively scored 43 goals and had 57 assists in the regular season.

“Connor Brown’s a guy who can move around your lineup. He gives you speed, a fantastic penalty killer,” general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. “He’s a guy that Sheldon will use at the end of games as well. Kind of like a Swiss (Army Knife). I’m sure he had offers to go somewhere else. It’s nice when you get handpicked and you can start a conversation, and you sense the excitement of a player, not even knowing about New Jersey other than knowing we have a good team, but wanting to be here. So that was great.”

But more importantly, it starts to address what felt like a glaring need as last season rolled along.

“The one thing we were looking for was 5-on-5 play," Fitzgerald said. "When you look at the totals of Brown and Dadonov, the majority of their goals are 5-on-5. We felt that we definitely added to what we needed to add in that depth. PLayers years are going to go up and down, you just hope players will level out and be consistent with their play from October to the end of the season.”

A day later, Fitzgerald makes quick work of moving from extending a Qualifying Offer for Cody Glass and turning it into a two-year deal. Lest we forget the addition earlier this off-season of Arsenyi Gritsyuk, and heading into training camp, this group is looking at the addition of likely four or five new forwards to the group...

“We’re excited. I think we’re a faster team. I think we’ve added the skill,” Fitzgerald explained. “The excitement of watching Gritsyuk or Lenni (Hameenaho), or even a Shane Lachance come into camp and make it hard on us to send them down. They’re all different. They all have NHL upside.”

Also what the club is looking forward to is a full season of Cody Glass. When he first arrived, he fit in nearly seamlessly, but his momentum was suddenly halted by injury. That's not an easy scenario for a player who was added to a team mid-season. So while Glass isn't new per se, having him healthy and around from the start is another big addition the club made.

Getting Glass’ contract done a day after Free Agency, right out of his Qualifying Offer and done efficiently, the club knows early where they stand in terms of dollar amounts, which paves the way for Fitzgerald to shift his full attention to the next major task at hand...

2.

And that focus is signing Luke Hughes.

Fitzgerald made it abundantly clear that Luke’s contract is where he will be putting his energy next as his number one priority.

These contracts can take time; there are always the finer details of a deal, the fine print, and structure to be hammered out. It’s clear both sides want to get a deal done and working with that same goal, the process to get there, well that can take time to dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s.

But, as Fitzgerald said:

“He’s excited. He wants to be a Devil long term -- just like his brother (Jack). We’re excited about that.

“Players want to stay here. They want to be in New Jersey. They want to be part of something we’re creating. The standards are getting higher with each year, which is exciting. I don’t sense anything other than Luke wants to be a Devil for a long time.”

So, stay tuned!

A GM’s work is never done!

3.

When it comes to goaltending, the Devils have quite a roster lined up. Of course, it will be Allen and Jacob Markstrom as the tandem in New Jersey, but the Utica depth is starting to take hold as well.

Next season, prospect Jakub Malek will make the transition to North America after a couple of seasons playing in Finland’s top league. With the sure tandem of Markstrom and Allen in New Jersey, that sets up some healthy competition in the minor leagues between Malek and Nico Daws.

“Having depth within the net is crucial," Fitzgerald identified. "Nico is a guy, he played five or six games last year, definitely played too early in his career, but out of necessity. We really like Nico, but we feel like having this depth makes us a better team.”

Malek, Fitzgerald confirmed, will come over to North America and start and the American Hockey League level.

“(We'll) give him the opportunity to hold down a job there, or even compete for that starters net,” he said. “He’s playing pro hockey now for a few years and has had some ups and downs. But being over here, he can find a consistency in his game with our goalie development team working with him. We’re excited about him and the other goalies we have in the system.”

“I can’t wait to come in a couple of months,” Malek said.

Malek said last year in Finland was probably the biggest step in his career so far, feeling like his consistency began to level out. It’s exactly what the Devils organization is looking for as he takes yet another jump, coming to North America next season.

“What can be the goals? To win the Calder Cup. I can’t wait to be there.”

That’s the type of attitude you’re looking for.

And beyond, there’s Mikhail Yegorov, who is set to return to BU next season. He, too, is on the horizon for the Devils.

4.

Speaking of Yegorov…. I just can’t get over the contagious enthusiasm he exudes. He lights up the entire locker room. It’s such a joy to see and experience.

He also seems like a person who might get up to the best type of no good… when I was chatting with his BU teammate Shane Lachance in the locker room on the first day of Development Camp, there was a quick moment where you could see Shane’s seriousness of doing an interview break and a smirk break across his face. He looked out the side of his eye to his right, nearly broke into a laugh, and stopped and said something along the lines of ‘He’s right there, looking at me, trying to listen.’

‘He’ was Yegorov, who evidently was trying to get his schoolmate to break during an on-camera interview.

Those are some of the very best types of locker room moments.

The Devils know they have a good one.

“Exciting," Tom Fitzgerald said of Yegorov and he's possibilities. "It’s a name that always comes up at the trade deadline and we know we have a good one there. The thing about goalies, you just don’t know when they’re going to arrive but he’s got a great personality, he loves the game and he’s good. And that’s exciting.”

5.

On the topic of Dev Camp, we got our first glimpse of the new Utica Comets coaching staff get to work with some of the Devils up-and-comers. Working alongside director of player development Meghan Duggan, its through this team of coaches and development staff that the tone is immediately set for players foray within the Devils franchise.

They’re that first taste of expectations.

For Parent, it was a first opportunity to get onto the ice with his new coaching staff as well.

“I'm really excited,” he said. “We had an opportunity to bring on some new staff members as well. This, as much as it was getting to meet the new kids, we were meeting with our staff for next season and it’s something we’re all looking forward to.”

I'm eager to see Utica's progress next season with a full year under Parent. He successfully transformed a very tough beginning for the club into a team that made a push towards the end of the season.

Utica started off their season with an 0-8-1 record and while it took a couple of opportunities after Parent took over as the then-interim head coach, he transformed their season, turning it around, despite being far behind the 8-ball early.

Parent coached the team to a 23-15-3 record. It was the third-best record in the North Division over that stretch of hockey, a prime example for how Parent helped the club dig themselves out of their difficult start. They were at the bottom of the standings when he took over and ended the season, under his guidance, just eight points out of a playoff spot.

Undoubtedly, the club will look for that same type of momentum under Parent for his first full-season and first official head coaching job, next season.

6.

Things I learned while getting to know new Devil Connor Brown: His older brother Jeff Brown once picked Connor in his rookie NHL season, nearly 10 years ago, for his fantasy team (nicknamed the Shooter McGavins) with his last spot in his draft and later joked:

“His fantasty numbers are awful, I might have to drop him soon!”

Thankfully, that was just early in his rookie season... figuring things out in the NHL. Since then, Brown has done a really nice job carving out a career for himself with a 200-foot game that the Devils will most certainly benefit from.

7.

How excited is Don LaGreca for his new gig as the Devils' play-by-play announcer with MSG Networks?

This is his dream job. The Devils have always been his team and they've always been with him, no matter where he's gone or which team he's called previous games for.

Seriously. He has the Devils logo tattooed on him.

“I got that right after they won in 2000, so it’s 25 years old, and it doesn’t look great anymore, unfortunately," he joked. "But maybe now I can update it and then maybe put 2003 there and color in the NJ Devils on the Cup.

"I saw all the Ranger fans do it when they won in ‘94. And I said, “Man, if I could do that.” And when they won in ‘95, I’m like, “I don’t know yet.” But then by 2000, I’m like, “All right, I think I can do it.” I regretted it the second that needle hit, though, man. No joke. It hurt!”

The pain of the tattoo was what he regretted.

He then urged me never to get a tattoo -- too much pain involved!

8.

It will be fascinating to see where and how Gritsyuk lines up with the team. The skilled winger had plenty of professional experience in the KHL – five seasons to be exact - but as that experience has wrapped up, it's on to the next. He's long been one of the Devils top prospects yet to make their way over to North America, but the time appears to be now.

He's got the speed that teams crave, he's got the creativity to alude and his shot can be lethal. Quite the combination. If those things can translate to the North American game - and it may take time as he adapts - it's all very exciting for the organization.

They'll get the opportunity in just a few short weeks to see him up close and personal and really find out what type of impact he'll be able to make as he adjusts to this next level.

But coming over to North America for the first time, it’s certainly a change. But there’s little doubt he’ll be given every opportunity to make that opening night roster.

“Gritsyuk will be the one that we’re really excited to see when he comes over here,” Fitzgerald said. “How can he adapt? He’ll be here mid-August to adapt. They tell me he’s got the upside of Dadonov at the same age, and it would be nice for Dadonov to mentor him.”

9.

A lot will be new for him from the start.

There is something to be said, too, for having someone in a locker room able to completely understand your experience, who moves from the KHL to the NHL, who changes in daily lifestyle as well.

It reminded me of speaking with Simon Nemec in his rookie season. I would often spot him spending extra time, both at home and on the road, with Ondrej Palat, Tomas Tatar and Vitek Vanecek. They were people he heavily relied on as he adapted to the North American culture both on and off the ice. He was a young player they took under their wings. You can't underestimate what it's like to have someone who speaks your native language with you, especially as you navigate an entirely new experience.

10.

Are we excited yet? We're just 74 days away from the first preseason game of the year when the Devils will host the New York Rangers.

And just 89 days until the NHL opens its 2025-26 regular season -- that's less than three months!

This will be the final edition of 10 Takeaways for this season, until we meet again in a couple of months.

As always, I'm grateful for all the reads and interactions with this column that I enjoy putting together.

Time to take a little break, enjoy the sunshine and get rejuvenated for next season!