MORNING SKATE RECAP
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Devils held a morning skate at SEATGEEK Rink in Fort Lauderdale ahead of playing the Florida Panthers.
The team made a flip on some of their forward lines. Stefan Noesen and Dawson Mercer swapped positions. The club used the following workflow…
Palat – Hughes – Bratt
Meier – Hischier – Noesen
Cotter – Haula – Mercer
MacDermid – Dowling – Tatar
Dillon – Hamilton
Siegenthaler – Kovacevic
Hughes – Pesce
Markstrom will get the start in goal.
Switching It Up
The flipping of Mercer and Noesen will add different dynamics to each line. For Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, having Noesen will add someone who is very strong down low, physical and can create some space for their skill. For Erik Haula and Paul Cotter, having Mercer will add some skill, talent and finish.
“(Noesen is) hard on the puck, good on the forecheck, defensively responsible, he’ll get to the net. It’s something I’ve been wanting to look at for a while,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “With this particular matchup with the Panthers, what Noesen brings to Nico’s group can help us. At the same time I think Mercer has good things to offer to the Haula group.”
For Noesen, he won’t be changing his game. In fact, that’s what the coaches want from him.
“Just play my game, be hard on pucks, be physical,” Noesen said. “Get pucks back to those guys and let them drive play.”
O-Zone
The Panthers are the No. 1-ranked team in the NHL in terms of offensive zone possession time. The only way to combat that is for the Devils to assert their will in the O-zone. However, doing so is easier said than done. But a few Devils offered how it’s done:
Keefe: “Escaping pressure, holding onto pucks, winning loose puck battles, establishing our own pressure to make it hard for them to get out.”
Haula: “To increase O-zone time you can’t force pucks. You have to be strong on 1-on-1 battles. You have to hold onto pucks. You have to have great support. You have to know your outs. Eventually you have to get to the net at some point. You can have a lot of O-zone time like we did against San Jose and a lot of looks but if you don’t score it’s not going to help you.”
Noesen: “Winning your battles, making the right reads, making the right plays. Knowing where your linemates will be as well.”
“Back-to-Back”
The Devils will be facing the Panthers in back-to-back games, though not in back-to-back nights. The teams will play Tuesday and Thursday, a fun twist to a normal NHL schedule.
“It’s unique,” Keefe said. “Two in the same building, I haven’t experienced that other than back in the COVID year when I was in the Canadian Division and you fly in and play two, three games.
“There are a lot of benefits to it. You prepare for the same team. It’s a lot simpler and easier that way. You get a chance to make some adjustments between games. It’s sort of a playoff feel.”
And if there’s anywhere that you’d like to spend four days, this isn’t a bad location.
“It’s awesome for us to be in Florida and enjoy some sun,” Haula said. “There’s no travel. You get to focus on recovery more. It’s easier to go back to the hotel, regroup and do it all over again.”
Measure Stick
Noesen on if the Panthers will be a measuring stick for the Devils: “They won the Cup last year, right? So, they are the measuring stick overall. It’s another game. It’s another chance for us to prove that we’re a good caliber team.”
