Devils Practice Amid Lengthy Homestand | NOTEBOOK

The Devils are practicing at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House inside the Prudential Center on Tuesday afternoon with three games remaining on its current seven-game homestand.

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

Practice Info

All expected players are taking part in practice today for the Devils. 

Defenseman Brett Pesce (lower-body, week-to-week) remains out.

The main change for the Devils for the lines was flipping Jesper Bratt with Arseny Gritsyuk. The Devils took Bratt off Jack Hughes’ line and put him on a line with Cody Glass and Lenni Hameenaho to be the line’s driving force. It was also a chance for Bratt, who had his own struggles, to get his own game in order.

“We split it up because I didn’t like where Bratt’s game was at. Thought we could simplify it and get him back on track, which he is,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “At the same time, I haven’t loved the way Jack and Grits have jelled offensively. Their rate of offense is below what it is generally when they’re playing apart from one another. At the same time, it puts Gritsyuk back with Glass and Lenni, which is a terrific line for us, if not our best line for a period of time. Having someone like Gritysuk or Bratt on that third group gives us a whole different element in terms of balance for the team, which I think is really important.”

Returning Bratt with Jack was always part of the plan. But the timing had to be right. Late in the contest Sunday against Detroit they did just that. They saw enough from Bratt, that they believed the timing had come for a reuniting.

“Intellectually, there’s a whole different level that you have to get to in order to play with Jack. If you’re not playing well yourself, it can be an extra layer you don’t need,” Keefe said. “It isn’t conducive to you getting your game going, so that’s why you break those sorts of things up. Those guys are our best pair so it was only a matter of time before they get back.”

Constant Adjustment

The Devils ran off a four-game winning streak prior to a 3-0 setback to Detroit on Sunday. Part of the team’s success during that run was their speed through the neutral zone either in the transition game or from the breakouts.

The Red Wings got a lead and then locked it down through the neutral zone. They were happy to win the game 1-0. That type of commitment is what it takes to win hockey games and situations that the Devils must learn to fight through.

“We saw what a playoff team looks like last game in Detroit,” defenseman Brenden Dillon said. “They locked down defensively, didn’t give us much. Even when we did get in the O zone, they did a great job and I feel like they understood the importance of the box out, the block shot, the clear, the coverage necessary to win the game. They got the lead and were able to buckle down defensively.”

Part of the Devils’ learning curve is finding a way to navigate this time of year, elevating their game to match the opposition and finding ways to fight through these harder games.

“Every game going at this time of year is harder,” Dillon said. “There’s less space. There’s more importance on those points – whether its teams showcasing for next year because they’re out of it or teams jockeying for home ice. There’s just a real importance.

“A new level gets found in those games. It’s harder to play in those games. We have to understand that.”

He Said It:

Keefe on Jack Hughes' grown since the Olympics: "There’s been a significant increase in Jack speaking up both on the bench and in the locker room since his return from the Olympics. I think the experience over there – not just his individual success and iconic moment that he had, but his being a part of a team that won a championship. I’m sure being in that room and observing different moments where different players speak up and lead the way, to me he’s come back and really taken charge of a lot of different areas for our team. That’s big. That’s what you want. As a coach, that’s why those events are so great, best-on-best. You’re surrounded by so many different leaders, so many different talents. You can’t help but to grow and get better if you’re paying attention, and clearly Jack was."

He Said It 2:

Dillon the seven-game homestand: “It’s always great to be in our home building, be in your own comfortable surroundings. Someone told me this morning it was the first time since the 80’s since we’ve had this long of a stretch. It’s been great.”