The New Jersey Devils open up their seven-game preseason schedule tonight when they take on the Washington Capitals.
Puck drop is just after 7 p.m. Eastern Time and can be seen on CSN-DC.
Here are the projected lineups:
New Jersey
Taylor Hall - Marcus Johansson - Kyle Palmieri John Quenneville - Nico Hischier - Jimmy Hayes Jesper Bratt - Joseph Blandisi - Stefan Noesen Brandon Baddock - Blake Coleman - Nick Lappin
John Moore - Damon Severson Will Butcher - Dalton Prout Mirco Mueller -Yaroslav Dyblenko
Keith Kinkaid Scott Wedgewood
Washington
Andre Burakovsky - Travis Boyd - Alex Chiasson Damien Riat - Chandler Stephenson - T.J. Oshie Nathan Walker - Lars Eller - Kevin Elgestal Beck Malenstyn - Tyler Graovac - Riley Barber
Christian Djoos - John Carlson Aaron Ness - Tyler Lewington Lucas Johansen - Taylor Chorney
Braden Holtby Vitek Vanecek
Five things to watch:
1) John Hynes mentioned Marcus Johansson as a legitimate candidate to be the team's top line center so, if he shows well in the preseason, he could be just that opening night vs Colorado. He is also playing in his first competitive game as a Devil and against his former team, no less.
2) Nico Hischier is a *very* good bet to make the team out of camp but the Devils have made it quite clear they're not going to blindly hand him a roster spot. He needs to earn a job and he'll get his first chance tonight.
3) Jimmy Hayes is a guy who needs to stand out sooner than later. Generally, there are a few jobs to be won but the preseason is mostly for getting players up to speed and ready to hit the ground running come October. If Hayes doesn't play well, and it becomes apparent he won't be sticking around, the Devils will quickly give his lineup spot to somebody who will.
4) The Devils will be icing a lot of inexperienced defensemen who are expected to contend for jobs. While Washington is dressing an extremely watered down lineup, they have a few quality forwards in there, and they are dispersed throughout, so the kids will be tested against *some* NHL bodies.
5) Joseph Blandisi really needs to show well this preseason as he's among a big group of forwards fighting for very few spots. If he doesn't make the team out of camp, and establish himself as a regular, he may never do so in New Jersey given the amount of quality, young forwards in the system.
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