Training Camp Buzz: Hamilton makes Devils debut against Rangers
- Dougie Hamilton made his debut for the New Jersey Devils in their preseason opener against the New York Rangers at Prudential Center on Friday (NHLN, MSG+, MSG).
- Hamilton and Graves are expected to be the top pair when the Devils open the regular season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct.
- Preseason is always different than regular season, so just work on creating habits starting today, and improve and learn from whatever happens tonight and go from there.".
- Devils coach Lindy Ruff said he is looking forward to watching Hamilton play in a game.
- "I think he's excited about getting back playing, and playing with this group," Ruff said.
- Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi have been cleared to play after each recovered from an injury, but coach Jeff Blashill said it has not been determined when either forward would play in a preseason game.
- Detroit opens the 2021-22 regular season at home against the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct.
- "Wasn't supposed to come out," Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said after the game.
- DeBoer said defensemen Brayden McNabb (lower body) and Shea Theodore (undisclosed), who were injured in the preseason opener against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, were not going to play against Los Angeles on Friday but that they would be ready for the season opener against the Seattle Kraken on Oct.
- "McNabb and Theodore skated this morning," DeBoer said.
- Semyon Varlamov may not be ready for the start of the regular season because of a "nagging" undisclosed injury, but coach Barry Trotz said he is not worried about the goalie's situation.
- "If he's not ready for opening day … I know he'll be right around the corner and we have Ilya [Sorokin] and Ilya could do the job if we needed," Trotz said.
- "We're thinking long term, I don't need anything hanging around because once you get into playing all of these games there's really no time to recover other than just battling through it," Trotz said.
- I'm feeling 100 percent so I'm ready to play the game tonight."
- "He's a skilled player," Berube said
Related Articles
Want the trending hockey news in your inbox daily?.
Just add your email, and we'll start sending you the most important hockey news of the day.