The New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils] will play their first preseason game today at 1 p.m. against the New York Rangers. Team reporter Amanda Stein released her projected lineup for the contest, which closely mirrors the roster head coach Sheldon Keefe is expected to use. While not official, here is Stein’s predicted lineup: Forwards * Cotter – Glass – Gritsyuk * Crookshank – Lammikko – Legare * Gruden – Glendening – Halonen * Hardman – Rooney – Bordeleau Defense * Chowolski – Casey * Edwards – Strand * White – Addison * van de Leest – Osipov Goaltenders * Daws * Romanov * Malek If these lines hold, the Devils’ first power-play unit would feature Casey, Gritsyuk, Glass, Cotter, and Bordeleau. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLAYERS TO WATCH Arseny Gritsyuk The highly anticipated Russian forward will make his Devils debut today. Drafted 129th overall in 2019, Gritsyuk spent the past several seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League before joining New Jersey this fall. After an impressive showing at training camp, today’s performance will be an early indicator of where he might fit in the lineup. Nico Daws A reliable depth option in recent years, Daws has stepped in multiple times when the Devils’ top goaltenders were sidelined. With Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen ahead of him, his NHL role likely won’t change this season, but his preseason play will show how much progress he’s made during the offseason. Juho Lammikko Lammikko last played in the NHL during the 2021–22 season with Vancouver. Known for his two-way game, he has an opportunity to earn a role in New Jersey’s bottom six. Angus Crookshank After leaving the Ottawa Senators and testing free agency, Crookshank signed a two-year deal with the Devils on July 2. He’s looking to prove he belongs on the NHL roster and could use today’s game as a showcase. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KEEFE’S EMPHASIS Coach Sheldon Keefe made it clear what he expects from his players in the preseason opener: “We’re at the portion of the program here where I want to see effort, speed, pace—it’s a very fast league. Tomorrow isn’t going to be the NHL in terms of speed, but it’s a good way to stand out. That’s been the emphasis for us from our very first meeting: ability to skate, pressure the puck, and do all the things when the puck isn’t on your stick, which is a very large percentage of the game.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The puck drops at 1 p.m. The official lineup will be confirmed closer to game time.
