The Heartbeat | 10 TAKEAWAYS

Is an introduction even necessary on a week when the captain returns to the lineup?

That is the story, without a doubt. 

So let's start right there in this week's edition of 10 Takeaways, presented by Ticketmaster

1.

You may have heard me repeat the same question over and over again these last few days.

I’ve been asking and trying to get a feel because I really want to understand more about what the return of a single player like Nico can do to a team, really more for the off-ice than on-ice, but both are equally as impacted.

Everyone has had a similar sentiment but it’s been expressed in different ways, which I think gives us a full picture of who Nico is as a teammate.

Curtis Lazar referred to Hischer as the team's heartbeat.

“I didn’t even play (against Buffalo) and I was jacked up to see him out there," Lazar said, "The reception from the fans was awesome and you could see. He’s the heartbeat of our hockey club. He plays in all key situations, he’s so smart defensively. We know it’s been a bit of a longer road (to recovery) than I think he would have liked, but we’re happy to have him back and hopefully, we can continue to channel that energy going forward."

Michael McLeod: 

It’s just awesome having him back. He’s our leader, he’s our guy. It gave us a lot of energy. He was a huge part of (the Buffalo) win. We really wanted to get that win for him too (…) once you have him back, you realize again how important he is for us.

Jack Hughes:

Nico’s our horse. Having him back is great. We want to keep it rolling.

Nate Bastian:

When you’re talking about leaning on a guy, whether it’s the start of the game, whether it’s 5-on-4, whether it’s the power play, whether it’s 3-on-3 overtime, that’s a guy look down the bench and when he’s not there, it makes it a lot harder on us. So, not to put too much pressure on him coming back but we can’t stress enough how excited we are.

2.

The feeling was clearly mutual.

3.

This was incredible. Jack and Eli Manning, along with Shaun O'Hara hanging out at MetLife Stadium and having a great time. 

This 'puck goal', as Manning called it, was pretty sweet.

4.

It’s crazy to think that through 20 games this season there have been only nine (!!!) games where both Nico and Jack Hughes have been on the roster together.

The Devils are 6-2-1 in those nine games.

Zero coincidence.

5.

Don't believe me? Just ask Jack.

"When Nico is back, everything just falls in line," Hughes said after Tuesday's win, a second consecutive victory with Hischier back. "We have a pretty good 1-2 punch. Matchups are a little different, we can spread it out. That’s a credit to Nico and obviously for our game."

6.

In one of those you love to see it moments, when I was walking out of the arena on Tuesday after the come-from-behind win against the Islanders, I was walking through the parking lot and Brendan Smith drove by in his big truck, with a big smile on his face.

He had just had a heck of a game, a real energy, hard-working game, throwing down with Islanders captain Anders Lee. As Smith approached the exit of the parking lots where fans gathered to wait for the players chants of “Brendan! Brendan!” broke out as he waited to exit the lot.

I loved all the cheers and applause! Well deserved.

7.

When Curtis Lazar was drafted by the Ottawa Senators he was ranked No. 20 on the North American skaters list and was drafted 17^th overall. He had had a high-scoring Western Hockey League career, once with 19 points in 20 playoff games.

But when he got to the NHL, things changed, as they sometimes do. The success you had in junior doesn’t always translate once you make it to the professional level and for Lazar, he’s the first to admit that who maybe he thought he would be at the NHL level is not who he was meant to be at the NHL level.

It happens. And it’s how you embrace that that can alter the course of your career.

So for Lazar, that was completely reinventing his game, grabbing onto a different type of role and running with it. From an offensive game to a checking, energy game (and of course a touch of scoring as well), Lazar has made it work and he’s enjoying it.

“I’m not even trying to score, I’m just trying to keep the puck out of my net, play those hard minutes," Lazar said after his game-winning goal against the Islanders. "It is pretty cool to see that success. They’re not always the prettiest (goals), but knowing when I get a chance that’s something I’m able to capitalize on, it’s good. It’s been a long road, there was a lot of high pedigree in what I could have been but I love the spot I’m in, my role and I couldn’t be happier here.”

Last year, Lazar credited Devils assistant coach, then head coach of the Rochester Americans in the AHL, for helping him remodel his game in a way that would make him successful in the league on a long-term basis. Safe to say, it has worked. Lazar is in his 10^th NHL season, having suited up in 471 games (42g-60a).

8.

It’s been great to see Andy Greene be around a lot from the start of the season and it looks like he’s trying to figure out his next move post-retirement. Andy has been around for nearly every practice, watching from above with the rest of the Devils staff and most recently took in his first road trip when the club went to Detroit.

Where Andy ends up eventually in the organization, I know he’s still trying to figure out what avenue he wants to go down, but it’s great to have him in the fold. He recently even took in a Utica Comets game, so he’s really getting that gamut of different office-level hockey experiences. For all that he was as a captain and a player, he’s so well respected with these guys, even though he didn’t play here with most of them.

9.

Something I didn't realize until he mentioned it to me today. Samuel Laberge, who was called up to the Devils, is 26 years old and the two-way contract he signed with New Jersey is the first NHL contract of his career. 

He's had this incredible journeyman journey to get to this point and I cannot imagine the emotion of a player who keeps grinding and waiting that long for an opportunity. I think just being up in the Devils locker room, up with the NHL club, is a dream come true for him. 

10.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent such nice messages about the story I did on Dougie Hamilton and his friend Thea. It’s a very difficult thing for Dougie to talk about, understandably, but for him to open up that way meant a great deal.

I bring it up because there were a few of you who sent me messages on X (formerly Twitter) that you made donations to the Thea Love Fund in Calgary. I can tell you that it means a great deal to the Roelofsen family, they are immensely touched.

I thank you all so much.