Hamilton, Brown and Dadonov Joining Road Trip | NOTEBOOK

The Devils have some reinforcements at practice today as Dougie Hamilton, Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov all joined the rest of the team for practice on Monday.

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

Influx of Talent

It has been a season of managing injuries so far for the Devils, so Monday's attendance at practice had a welcome sight. Three players recovering from injuries were on the ice with their teammates. Forwards Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov, as well as defenseman Dougie Hamilton, all rejoined practice.

Connor Brown practiced on a line with Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer while Dougie Hamilton was paired up with Dennis Cholowski. Evgenii Dadonov served as an extra, skating in rotation with the forwards.

Also on the ice was defenseman Ethan Edwards, who was called up on Monday morning. He skated on a pair with Luke Hughes, as Brenden Dillon did not participate in the practice session. Dillon left the Devils' most recent game against Washington for a while, but returned to play. Dillon skated earlier this morning on his own and will join the Devils on their road trip.

"He's expected to play tomorrow," Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe remarked, on Dillon.

Hamilton Excited to Rejoin Blueline

Dougie Hamilton’s presence on the ice Monday was a significant boost for the group that spent the last stretch adjusting without one of its most experienced defenders. For Hamilton, simply being back in a normal team environment was energizing.

“Obviously hard to be injured, and not be around the guys, and be a part of it and everything,” Hamilton said. He acknowledged the timeline had unfolded more or less as expected, but watching from the outside never gets easier. What made it bearable was seeing how well the defenders handled the expanded workload. “They did really well, and I’m excited to join them back today, and looking forward to getting back to playing.”

Hamilton kept a close eye on teammates who were thrust into larger roles. He highlighted the group’s ability to absorb minutes, adjust to matchups, and seize opportunities that typically fall to veterans. One moment stood out above the rest:

“It was pretty awesome watching Nemo score a hatty… you can’t write that better,” he said, still smiling at the memory. For him, it was both a bright spot and a testament to what the Devils’ defensive unit has been building.

Watching players take advantage of the situation also reinforced Hamilton’s readiness to return. Asked directly if he felt able to jump back in, the answer was simple:

“Yeah… I think so.”

Monday offered the first practice in a while where he was skating with a full group rather than just a handful of players.

“It’s good to get back with more than a couple guys on the ice and take it from there,” he added.

Keefe echoed the importance of Hamilton’s return, even as the Devils continue to lean on defensive structure. With several tough minutes absorbed across the blue line during the road-heavy stretch, adding a steady, experienced presence back into the mix will help stabilize matchups and ease the load on others. And for Hamilton, who’s eager to get back to the rhythm of everyday team life, reintegration begins now.

Brown Ready to Rejoin Rolling Club

Connor Brown’s time away was short, but for a player who arrived this season with a defined role and a clear impact, the absence felt longer. He returned Monday looking refreshed and relieved to be back in full participation.

“Just a little banged up there, so it took a couple weeks,” Brown said. “I feel good now… the guys have played really well while I was out, managed to get a whole bunch of points, so it’s gonna be fun to get back in here.” At the outset, there was uncertainty about how long he’d miss. “At first, yeah, we weren’t really sure,” he admitted. “But once we identified what it was, there were no setbacks or anything… we were right on timeline.”

From the stands, Brown watched a team finding different ways to win.

“Oh, it’s fun,” he said. “We were winning in all different sorts of ways, and that’s what good teams do.”

Seeing depth players step into key minutes reinforced the club’s identity — one they’ll lean on even harder with Jack Hughes out of the lineup for an extended stretch.

Brown didn’t shy away from acknowledging the void Hughes leaves.

“You can’t really replace a guy like him,” he said. But rather than chasing offense, Brown stressed the need to double down on defensive discipline. “I think it’s important for us not to cheat any offense and try to make up for it. If anything, we gotta be more sound defensively.”

One storyline that defined Brown’s absence was the Devils’ run of overtime and shootout games. Watching those moments from above offered a different kind of adrenaline.

“The nerves are a little higher from the stands,” he laughed, noting he didn’t expect to be an option in the shootouts anyway. What mattered most was the team’s consistency in closing out tight games — something Keefe applauded while also noting how much Brown’s return helps re-balance the forward group.

For Keefe, adding Brown back isn’t just about minutes; it’s about stability. “Another reliable, consistent player that can drive play,” he said. Brown’s ability to move pucks through the neutral zone, pressure opponents on the forecheck, and bring leadership creates small advantages that become larger over a road-heavy schedule. With five straight games on the road and several forwards pushed into elevated roles, Brown’s return offers both depth and predictability — exactly what the Devils need as they navigate the final three games of the trip.

Edwards Joins Devils for First NHL Recall

For 21-year-old defenseman Ethan Edwards, Monday was a day he won’t forget. The rookie blueliner — in his first full season with Utica — received his first NHL recall, joining the Devils as they continue their road trip. His reaction was immediate and genuine.

“Yeah, no, it was surreal,” Edwards said, still processing the moment. He described waking up after a long bus ride when Utica head coach Ryan Parent called with the news. “It was a good morning,” he added with a grin. And joining the group for a trip to Florida? “Kind of an added bonus.”

Edwards arrived with the confidence of a player who has earned steady trust. The 10 games he played at the end of last season gave him a baseline for what the pro game demands, and he’s spent the early portion of the year building from that foundation.

“My 10 games at the end of last season really helped me going into this season,” he said. Over the past couple of weeks, he feels both he and the Comets have “been going really good,” finding their rhythm and structure.

His personal focus has been clear.

“Just finding my pro game and solidifying my defense-first mentality,” he said. He emphasized that down in Utica, the key has been prioritizing defense while letting offense “kind of come,” using his feet and skating assets to activate when appropriate.

That approach has resonated with the Devils’ staff as well, who praised his steady growth during camp.

Transitioning from college to the AHL brought fewer surprises than some rookies experience, though the mix of control and physicality was noticeable.

“In some aspects it’s even more controlled,” Edwards said. “In other aspects, it’s just bigger guys that are faster and forechecking harder.” Watching a lot of hockey helped him anticipate the pace, but executing against it provided the real education.

Now, he gets to bring that evolving pro game onto NHL ice. For the Devils, Edwards provides another defense-first option during a stretch where minutes have been heavy, especially for veterans. For Edwards, it’s a chance to prove that his foundation — the one he’s built through discipline, simplicity, and skating — can translate at hockey’s highest level.

Keefe: Defense, Goaltending and Structure Driving Devils Through Injury Stretch

With multiple forwards and defensemen sidelined, including Jack Hughes, Keefe’s message has remained consistent: the Devils must win through the details. That approach has become the backbone of their recent stretch of success, including overtime and shootout wins while shorthanded.

Keefe broke the game down into three key phases: five-on-five play, special teams, and goaltending.

“You try to be as good as you can in each, and hopefully win two out of the three (periods) every night,” he said.

With offense harder to come by — “even with Jack,” he noted — minimizing mistakes becomes even more important.

The shift became most noticeable after the California trip, when the team addressed the defensive lapses that plagued them early.

“Our defensive play has been far, far better,” Keefe said. That improvement has allowed them to stay in games, push matchups long, and avoid giving opponents “free offense.”

Structure, positional discipline, and a focus on reducing high-quality chances have been central to that progress.

Keefe also acknowledged the challenges of managing minutes during a five-game road swing, particularly when relying on players with less NHL experience. In Washington, the pace and physicality forced him to lean heavily on certain forwards and defenders, while in Chicago the slower game allowed for tighter rotation. Every night has required real-time adjustments.

Through it all, the team’s identity has held steady: check hard, protect the crease, support the goaltenders, and compete. As Hamilton and Brown come close to rejoining the group and Edwards arrives for his first taste of the NHL, the Devils hope stability and reinforcements can carry their defensive momentum forward — and help them finish the road trip strong.

Dadonov Getting Close Also

Evgenii Dadonov skated on Monday and will also join the team on their coming road trip. While he's not as close as Hamilton or Brown, there's a chance he sees action at some point.

"He was a bit of an unexpected participant today," said Keefe. "While we were away last week, he just continued to get better and better, and get to the point where he was comfortable skating today, and got through the skate well. He's gonna come along as well, given that it's a three-gamer trip. He's a possibility as we get going."

Dadonov has only played in one game this season and his return would be a welcome addition to a banged-up squad.