"Since Gritsyuk has gone down, we’ve had some tough nights from our bottom-6 quite honestly. We need to change that mix," Keefe said. "I don’t want to change the other two lines that have been rolling pretty good.
"I suspect I’ll move it around a little bit. Bjugstad has played a lot on the wing. He’s totally comfortable there. We’ll see what that can look like tonight. It’s a very important line, we just wanted to try a different mix tonight."
For defenseman Brett Pesce (lower-body), he's returned to the ice and is working to try and play before the season ends. Though he is running out of runway.
"It's going to be a matter of how much season is left by the time he can get back up to speed," Keefe said. "He's got the lower-body situation that's really keeping him out at this point, but in addition to that he's got this finger issue that he's been dealing with all season long since he had his surgery. That's never been back at 100 percent. It seems every time it starts feeling good he would jam it up and set himself back.
"I would still put him as questionable or doubtful, but he's going to do all that he can to be ready if not to play some games here but to have as solid an off-season as possible."
I AM IRON MAN
Devils forward Dawson Mercer will play in his 402nd consecutive game tonight, playing in every single game since the beginning of his rookie campaign in 2021-22. With that, he will pass Travis Zajac (401) for most consecutive games played in franchise history.
“I feel like it just flies by. Five years goes by pretty quick since I first got here to Jersey in my first season,” he said. “It’s been special being able to go out there every night, have fun and help my team win. It’s crazy how quick the years go and that I’m already at that milestone right now.”
A lot needs to go right to set an Iron Man streak. Beyond being healthy and playing through bumps and bruises, you have to maintain a high level of play to keep your spot in the lineup. Mercer has built a consistency in his game that makes him reliable both in playing, but in his actual play.
“I just take it day by day, especially early on in my career,” Mercer said. “You’re in the moment, trying to do your best, become the best player that you can be. Overall, I’m making sure I’m playing smart out there. It’s a tough game and it’s hard to stay healthy. I’m pretty happy. It’s a proud accomplishment for me and hopefully tonight goes pretty good.”
