On September 11, New Jersey Devils rookies will return to Prudential Center. One week later, veterans will report to Newark to mark the official start of the 2024-25 training camp.
With general manager Tom Fitzgerald’s acquisitions and signings, the players who will make up the roster are pretty much set.
Forwards: Nathan Bastian, Jesper Bratt, Paul Cotter, Erik Haula, Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Curtis Lazar, Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Stefan Noesen, Ondrej Palat, and Tomas Tatar.
Defensemen: Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, Brett Pesce, and Jonas Siegenthaler.
Goaltenders: Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen.
Regardless of how many open spots are available, every player enters training camp with a goal, whether it is to take a spot from a starter, become the seventh or eighth defenseman, or put themselves in a position to be the first call-up if/when an injury occurs to a starting player.
Kurtis MacDermid signed a three-year extension to remain with the Devils in May. The 6-foot-5 forward will fulfill a very specific role and is not expected to be a regular in the lineup. Two youngsters who could fight to become the next man up when an injury occurs could be Nolan Foote or Brian Halonen.
Foote, 23, is a restricted free agent who remains without a contract at the time of publication.
Related: Devils’ Nolan Foote: ‘I Want to Stick Around Here and Be With This Organization’
After the 2023-24 season, Foote confirmed that a lower back injury he’d dealt with for the past four years kept him off the ice for most of the season.
“It has kind of been lingering for four years; it happened a while ago. A low back injury disc issue,” he said. “It sucks that it has been going on for that long, and I might have it for a long time. It might linger, but I feel good right now, so just continue to maintain that.”
If his health is no longer a concern, Foote is expected by many to challenge for a spot on the team’s fourth line.
Halonen, 25, made his NHL debut last season against the Tampa Bay Lightning and appeared in two NHL games. Listed at 6-foot, 207 pounds, he collected 29 points (20 goals, nine assists) in 35 games with the Devils’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets. His 20 goals were second-most on the team behind Graeme Clarke, who was traded to the Minnesota Wild.
On the blue line, there is a log jam among defensemen. Fitzgerald has previoulsy referenced Johnathan Kovacevic as his seventh defenseman, and behind him, plenty of players will be looking to claim the eighth spot.
Oct 21, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic (26) plays the puck against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Nick DeSimone played well after being claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames and signed a one-year contract in June. Santeri Hatakka, 23, appeared in 12 games with the Devils in 2023-24 and held his own on a struggling blue line. In July, the Devils brought back Colton White, who previously played 38 games with New Jersey during his first stint with the club.
If the team can remain healthy, there simply will not be a spot available, but as we all know, injuries are part of the game. While challenging, those unfortunate blows also create opportunities for players like Foote and Halonen to showcase their skills and potential.
And believe it or not, their first opportunity is less than two months away.
Let the countdown begin.
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