Coach Hynes divided Friday's practice into two groups. The early morning session, which began at 10:30 a.m., was a regular practice, while special teams work took place in the later session at 11:45 a.m.
During 5-on-5 practice drills, Pavel Zacha could be found centering a line with Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. Zacha spent the last two preseason games playing on the top line, and finishing the exhibition season with three goals and two assists in four games.
The second line at practice had a rotation of players at center. Nico Hischier and Marcus Johansson took turns with John Quenneville and Drew Stafford on their wings. The third line featured Adam Henrique centering Miles Wood and Jesper Bratt, while the fourth line had Brian Gibbons, Blake Coleman and Stefan Noesen.
Later, when the focus was special teams, the units were as follows:
Unit No. 1.
Butcher-Palmieri
Hall-Henrique-Hayes
Unit No. 2
Hischier-Severson
Johansson-Zacha-Stafford
Michael McLeod rejoined his teammates at practice after an injury against the Islanders in Brooklyn earlier this week. He took part in the second practice session.
Brian Boyle was at the rink on Friday. He skated by himself before practice. Boyle will be with his new teammates off the ice when the Devils head to West Point, N.Y., for a team bonding excursion. Also along for the trip will be injured forward Travis Zajac, making it a full team experience.
New Jersey will open their regular season on Saturday Oct. 7 against the Colorado Avalanche at Prudential Center.
