The New Jersey Devils are set to face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in the final instalment of the Hudson River Rivalry this season.
Mercer’s Milestone
Devils forward Dawson Mercer is poised to set a new Iron Man record for the team. He will be playing in his 402nd consecutive game tonight. This surpasses Travis Zajac’s previous record of 401 consecutive games played. Mercer has played in every single game since the beginning of his rookie campaign in 2021-22.
Gritsyuk’s Imminent Return
Rookie winger Arseny Gritsyuk, who has been sidelined for the past three games due to an undisclosed injury, has returned to the ice. He participated in the morning skate but did not work in rushes. Head coach Sheldon Keefe expressed optimism regarding Gritsyuk’s recovery. Keefe said that Gritsyuk himself was encouraged by his progress. His return is anticipated to be sooner than initially expected.
Keefe stated that they will continue to monitor him on a day-to-day basis and will take their time with his return.
Lineup Adjustments for the Devils
There are adjustments to the Devils’ bottom six ahead of facing NYR. Nick Bjugstad is moving up to play on the third line. This results in Dadonov being bumped to the fourth line. According to Keefe, the third line has not been as dominant in Gritsyuk’s absence, necessitating a change. Cotter is moving to C.
Keefe said that the team has had some tough nights from their bottom-6 since Gritsyuk went down. He added that he doesn’t want to change the other two lines that have been rolling pretty good. Keefe suspects he’ll move it around a little bit. He noted Bjugstad has played a lot on the wing and is totally comfortable there, and that it’s a very important line, so they just wanted to try a different mix tonight.
Pesce’s Uncertain Future
Defenseman Brett Pesce has returned to the ice. He is working to try and play before the season concludes. However, time is running out for his return. Keefe stated that it’s going to be a matter of how much season is left by the time he can get back up to speed. In addition to the lower-body situation, he’s been dealing with a finger issue all season long since he had his surgery, which has never been back at 100 percent.
Keefe added that every time it starts feeling good, he jams it up and sets himself back. Keefe would still put him as questionable or doubtful, but he’s going to do all that he can to be ready if not to play some games here but to have as solid an off-season as possible.
The Devils held a morning skate at Prudential Center before heading to New York to face the Rangers, with all expected players present at the skate.