7 Things to Watch at Training Camp | FEATURE

The Devils open training camp on Thursday, Sept. 19, at Prudential Center.

The Devils enter camp with a lot of optimism after a very busy and productive summer by general manager Tom Fitzgerald and his hockey operations staff. A lot of changes were made in order to make the Devils a harder team to play against. Training camp is the start of that process.

Some things in this camp will be the same. As with every year, the camp will be used by players to win jobs, roles, playing time and more. It’s also a chance to work through rust and get their game ready for the start of the regular season.

But this camp also comes with a lot of change. There is a new sheriff in town with Sheldon Keefe taking over as head coach. And with that, comes a new system, message, style and demands. The club revamped its defensive corps, adding several new players into the fold. And, of course, they got their big game goaltender in Jacob Markstrom.

With the outset of camp set to begin, below are the biggest things to keep an eye on over the next two weeks.

Time Crunch

In some ways, what makes this camp so unique is that it will be a sort of abbreviated version of training camp. With the Devils opening the regular season in Prague on Oct. 4 and 5 against Buffalo, the team will have to leave for Europe at the end of September. That has a couple ramifications.

First, decisions on the opening-game roster will have to be completed a full week earlier than what is typical in order for that group to travel to Prague.

Second, the decisions on that roster will be made with less evaluation time. New Jersey has four preseason games scheduled before departing for Czechia. So, instead of having seven games with which to evaluate and make roster decisions, the Devils will have four.

Lastly, that also means that the NHL roster players will see a lot of action in those opening four preseason games because they’ll need to get game ready quickly. As opposed to years past, when the final preseason games look more like the opening day roster, this time around those early games will give a better glimpse of how the Devils plan to start the year.

It is a unique circumstance, but certainly something the Devils fully welcome and embrace.

The New Coach

The Devils have a new voice in the locker room. Keefe will be running his first training camp as the Devils bench boss. And as such, he’s going to run things his way.

That means on the ice the club will be working with a new system and structure. Keefe will run the team his way – though with a lot of feedback with those inside the organization. As noted above, the Devils won’t have seven preseason games and three weeks to figure out this new system and style – efficiency will be key. Practices will be run differently than in the past, with different points of emphasis.

It also means things will be much different off the ice. Whether it’s how video sessions are conducted, interpersonal communications with players and staff or even the team’s daily routine and schedule, everything will be different with the new coach. Keefe will bring what he’s learned from Toronto, work with those in New Jersey and chart a way forward for the team.

The Devils retained many of the previous assistant coaches, which will help with continuity. The Devils players are professionals, and they will adjust to the changes. But there will definitely be a fresh voice in the locker room.

Health Watch

The Devils will open training camp with its top offensive defenseman in Dougie Hamilton, fully healthy and recovered from a torn pectoral muscle. Hamilton set career highs with 22 goals, 52 assists and 74 points in the 2022-23 season. More of the same was expected in 2023-24 until the injury knocked him out of the lineup in late November for the rest of the season.

Hamilton’s absence had a trickle-down effect on the Devils’ defensive corps. Youngsters Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec – both blue chip prospects in their rookie seasons – were forced to shoulder big minutes and a heavy workload. And while they had their ups and downs as expected from neophytes, in the long run that experience will pay huge dividends in their long-term development.

For Hughes however, the beginning of his season will be delayed due to a dislocated shoulder. He will miss 6-8 weeks, though the shoulder did not require surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, his brother Jack, who was shut down in March of last season with shoulder surgery, is expected to be fully ready to go for the start of training camp. The same can be said about forward Timo Meier, who overcome a number of injuries, including shoulder surgery.

Injuries are part of the game. Every team deals with them. But there’s no doubt health is a major factor on a team’s success during a season.

Mercer Status

One question heading into training camp is the status of forward Dawson Mercer. He was a restricted free agent and given a qualifying offer by the Devils. Mercer did not sign his qualifying offer, opting to work on a longer-term deal.

Both parties are still talking to work out a deal. Mercer will not be at the start of training camp since he doesn't have a contract. Both sides have had productive and cordial conversations over the past few months as they worked toward a deal. Once an agreement is reached, Mercer will join his team.

Goaltender

The Devils finally landed their big fish in net with the acquisition of Jacob Markstrom. He and Jake Allen are expected to be the tandem in goal for New Jersey this season. Both are veterans in the league – both are 34 years old – and will support and push each other throughout the year. With just four preseason games to get ready for the season, both may get some considerable playing time early. Typically, goaltenders start with half games in the preseason and work up to 60 minutes. The Devils won’t have that luxury. So, expect to see those two getting big minutes early on.

Special Teams

The Devils have a lot of questions to be answered during training camp. That includes many personnel decisions and roster composition. Which forwards will play with whom? What will the defensive pairings look like? And, of course, how will the coaching staff deploy its power play units. The Devils have a spoil of riches with all the talent they possess. Keefe said over the summer that he’d like to have a balance between two units. Camp will provide fans with a first look at how the team will look to deploy. And the same will be said of how the PK units will shape up. One unfortunate note is that Keefe will not have Luke Hughes to start the year. He ran the top power-play unit during his entire rookie campaign last year.

Roster Battles

The biggest aspect of any training camp is the fight for jobs, roles and minutes. With Hughes missing 6-8 weeks, that will create an opening for another blueliner to step in. It could be Johnathan Kovacevic. Or Colton White. Or Santeri Hatakka. Or someone may surprise with a strong camp and steal a job. The same holds true for the forward position. And that’s the fun of training camp.

Let the competition begin.