The Devils’ first practice after their opening-night win came Friday at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House inside Prudential Center, with the group set to travel to Long Island for Saturday night’s game against the Islanders.
There were no lineup changes from opening night.
One of the more interesting early-season developments is on the blue line, where Declan Chisholm is still getting used to his new surroundings after being acquired for a fourth-round pick from Washington. He has been paired with Brenden Dillon through two preseason games and the season opener, and the two are still in the process of building their chemistry.
“It’s going well,” Dillon said of the pairing. “We’ve gotten better and better with every game.
For us, we want to make sure first and foremost that we’re being solid defensively, getting up on the rush, we both skate well. Have rangy sticks.
We’re bigger guys. For us, when we get out there, whether it’s O zone, D zone, we’re prepared.”
Chisholm shoots left but has been working on the right side, which means there’s an adjustment in how he handles the puck and how he and Dillon communicate and read each other.
“Going back for pucks. Some guys like to hold onto a little longer.
Some guys like to move it quick,” Dillon said. “Some guys are chatty, some guys are quieter.
In the O zone, some guys are shooters. Some guys want to hold onto it.
I thought even first period to the second, second to the third, when you have a couple of those on breakaways I thought we were getting better and better, cleaner and cleaner at being able to get the puck up to our forwards, which is the main goal.”
Dillon said the pairing’s growth will come with time and repetition.
“It’s always learning certain tendencies guys have. That takes time,” Dillon said.
“Jack and Bratt have been together for how long now? You can tell.
That takes time. We’re going to get better and better with every game.
I thought it was a good start for us.”
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