The New Jersey Devils will face the St. Louis Blues without Timo Meier, who will serve his suspension.
The New Jersey Devils will face the St. Louis Blues without Timo Meier, who will serve his suspension.
New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe had decisions to make after Timo Meier was suspended for one game for cross-checking Nashville Predators forward Zachary L'Heureux Monday night.
At the team's morning skate before hosting the St. Louis Blues, the coaching staff used the following line combinations:
Ondrej Palat - Jack Hughes - Jesper Bratt
Paul Cotter - Nico Hischier - Stefan Noesen
Nolan Foote - Erik Haula - Dawson Mercer
Shane Bowers - Justin Dowling - Tomas Tatar
Keefe explained to reporters why Cotter was moved to Hischier's line.
"He is very versatile," Keefe said. "He has done the job for us whether we have moved him up at different times throughout the season for full games or shifts here and there at different times. He has a skill set that's transferrable to any line. My message to him any time we've made such moves is to not change his game. I think the assets that he has in terms of his ability to bring the puck up the ice, forecheck, skate, and being physical, all those things are assets that any line requires."
One thing that Cotter will need to be aware of is the defensive responsibility that comes with playing with Hischier, including defensive zone face-offs.
"Playing with Hischier is pretty cool," Cotter said to NJD.TV. "Great player. He has been having a lot of success lately."
It should benefit the 25-year-old to play with Noesen, whom he has previously found success with this season.
"Playing with Noesen is going to be good. We have played with each other in the past. I just kind of know his tendencies, so it will be nice to have a familiar face on the other side of that line."
Foote will also draw back into the lineup and play his second game this season. Against the Washington Capitals, the 23-year-old played 9:44 on the third line with Haula and Mercer.
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