Stephen Gionta.

The New Jersey Devils will be taking the ice at Bell Centre this evening, hopeful to expand their winning streak to four straight games. The odds are pretty good – the Devils have won their last eight bouts against the Habs, with the last Montreal victory in 2008.

Pre-game notes:

* No morning skate for either team today.

* Cool fact: Ever sturdy Patrik Elias is 3 points away from hitting 900 career points.

* An excellent read about Martin Brodeur’s father, Denis Brodeur, who has fought through two recent and difficult surgeries. He will be watching the game from home.

* Something to watch for: Stefan Matteau. In the last practice, Matteau was moved up to the top line with Travis Zajac and Ilya Kovachuk, with Mattias Tedenby dropping to the fourth. Peter DeBoer has been impressed with Matteau over the past three games, but a decision soon needs to be made about the rookie’s development. Matteau is closer to the top of the roster in SOG; a place on the first line may very well help him earn his first NHL goal.

* Sibling rivalry: Brothers Stephen and Brian Gionta face off today. Stephen Gionta netted the Devils’ first goal in their victory over the Capitals on Friday.

“I hear they’ve got a pretty good kid in there as their third line centre, no. 11,” Brian said about his younger brother. “I think he’s pretty much been carrying the load for [Zach] Parise.”

* Brodeur will start in net. Carey Price will be in the cage for the Canadiens.

The puck drops at 6PM! Tune in on MSG Plus/RDS.

A quick update before the puck drops. The Devils will be facing the Flyers several more times this season, but tonight is the first meeting of 2013 — of course, to the Devils and the Flyers, that’s all old hat. After the Devils knocked them out of the playoff race last season, and now that they’re two games down and behind, the Flyers will be out for blood at the Rock tonight.

Offensive lines remain the same, according to Fire and Ice:

Zubrus-Zajac-Kovalchuk
Tedenby-Elias-Clarkson
Carter-Gionta-Bernier
Matteau-Josefson-Janssen

Barch is a healthy scratch, with Darche still skating with the team as both camps contemplate a contract. Defensive lines weren’t confirmed this morning, but Larsson is a healthy scratch yet again. The young defenseman says he “doesn’t mind, as long as the team wins.” Henrique seems to be about 7-10 days away from returning from his thumb injury.

Home opener at the Rock means the raising of the Eastern Conference Championship banner. Looks like it’s already up, though, and the Devils will have an exultant but quick ceremony of playoff dominance before the puck drops.

Have some stats courtesy of Tom Gulitti: In 76 career games versus Philadelphia, Patrik Elias has 33 goals and 75 points. Ilya Kovalchuk has 22 goals and 43 points in 45 career games. We’re in for a fun time.

Get ready to watch on NBCSN, and bundle up if you’re heading to the game!

Devils Captain Bryce Salvador.

We’re about 30 minutes away from the Devils season opening game against the Islanders. (I know, I know, boo hiss.) This post will serve to combine a few quick updates before we’re ready to start the 2013 season.

* Defenseman Bryce Salvador has been announced as the new Captain of the New Jersey Devils! Congratulations, Captain Sal! Elias and Kovalchuk retain the As.

* In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve locked up a very important roster piece for a long time. Travis Zajac has re-signed with the Devils on a $46 million, 8-year deal.

* Stefan ‘Squirrel-cheeks’ Matteau, the Devils’ 1st round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft, is getting his chance to shine. He’s made the opening roster after a training camp that pleased Pete DeBoer and will play in front of his family (that’s including his father, former Ranger Stephane Matteau) tonight. A goal in his immediate future, perhaps? If he impresses, we’ll see him for more than five games.

* Oh, yeah. Kovalchuk is back too.

* Keep an eye out for Scott Stevens on the bench.

* Martin Brodeur will be starting in his 18th season opener for the Devils. That’s insane. Nabokov is in goal for the Islanders.

The lines for today:

F:

Zubrus-Zajac-Kovalchuk
Tedenby-Elias-Clarkson
Carter-Gionta-Bernier
Matteau-Josefson-Janssen

D:

Salvador-Zidlicky
Greene-Fayne
Tallinder-Volchenkov

Tune in at 7PM EST on MSGPlus/MSGPlus 2!

And we shall call him Chipmunteau.

The NHL has announced that the New Jersey Devils will host the 2013 NHL Draft.

What does this mean? It means that Devils fans will be able to attend the draft if they so wish, at their home base, no matter how mind-numbingly lengthy the first round may be. It also holds the implication that the league has faith in the Devils as a stable franchise, notwithstanding their current financial issues. (Hosting the Draft should also bring some cash in for Prudential Center, Newark, and the Devils.)

The Devils, under condition of punishment for the Ilya Kovalchuk signing (wild rule breakers!), have to give up their first round draft pick in either of the next two years. Hosting the Draft next year would make it rather awkward on the host city to give up the first pick, wouldn’t it?

Next year’s draft, along with the following year which will be hosted by Philadelphia, has been said to be deeper in terms of attainable prospects. Did Lamoriello make a mistake by not giving up their No. 29 pick this year? I don’t believe so. The Devils scouting staff allegedly had their eye on Stefan Matteau — yes, that Matteau — and have doubtlessly planned ahead. I don’t see them shedding their first round pick next year as a host city, but I’m not worried about the team drafting necessary pieces in either of the next two drafts.

Inside: Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!; a whole lotta baby forwards and one defenseman too; Elias wins an award; I meet a Devil in enemy territory.

» Continue reading “Offseason News: (The Mostly) Draft Edition”

Cam Janssen.

With the Devils, no news is — well, to be expected, for one thing — but also news in its own way. There has been nothing new released on the status of Zach Parise’s contract, which seems to imply that he is deep in talks with the Devils. If he were to be beginning negotiations with a different club, there would likely be more than radio silence from the hockey world. The July 1 deadline is now two weeks away.

Ilya Kovalchuk, who played injured throughout the majority of the post season, is currently undergoing MRI testing. His back injury has been confirmed. Lamoriello recently said that Kovalchuk was not the only player to be given special attention during the usual after-season evaluations. Other players had been playing through injuries as well, though there has been no reports yet on who those players may be.

Inside: the NY Post’s ‘insider’ gaffe regarding the Devils’ ownership; a belated birthday tribute to Zubrus; defending Elias against puck-stealing accusations.

» Continue reading “Offseason News Round-up”

The CBGB line addressing media at the Stanley Cup Final Media Day. (via @DevilsGenerals/Twitter)

The Stanley Cup Final Media Day saw the members of the Devils talking to media and occasionally getting attacked by microphones. Today was truly the calm before the storm. On Wednesday a best-of-seven series beginning between the New Jersey Devils and the Los Angeles Kings will probably culminate, over time, in a few fights and doubtlessly some hostility.

For today, at least, the Devils were full of smiles.

» Continue reading “Calm Before The Storm: Devils At Media Day”