A few New Jersey Devils notes:
1) Jimmy Hayes is still without a contract but it's probably safe to say he'll be getting one. Preseason opener aside, he played really well throughout, and he's practicing on one of the power play units as a net-front presence, so that seems to be a good indicator the Devils want to keep him around.
2) I've seen a lot of people suggesting Steve Santini could/should be the odd man out on defense if the Devils only dress two kids and elect to keep Ben Lovejoy in the lineup. I don't think that should be the case, though. Santini is the most established of the bunch and he couldn't have been much better in the preseason. He looked *really* steady and the Devils out-chanced their opponents 30-11 with him on the ice at 5v5, which is especially impressive considering he wasn't utilized in favorable offensive situations.
I know Will Butcher had a couple points and can play the power play, but he posted (by far) the worst Corsi and scoring chance numbers of the three kids despite being spoonfed offensive zone starts.
Personally, I'd boot Lovejoy from the lineup and play all three young defensemen without thinking twice but I doubt the Devils will do that. If they don't, it shouldn't be Santini (or Mueller, who also played very well) sitting in the opener.
3) Something to watch come opening night: Damon Severson's usage. Last season, he started ~54% of his non-neutral zone shifts in the offensive zone. In four preseason games, Severson started ~35% of his shifts in the offensive zone. I don't know if John Hynes trusts Severson more defensively or was trying to shield the kids -- perhaps both -- but it'll be interesting to see if that kind of usage continues in October and beyond. Severson is probably the best defenseman on the roster when it comes to breaking the puck out of the defensive zone so starting him there more often, and asking him to carry the mail, may not be such a bad idea.
4) If Brian Boyle is healthy (hopefully he is), it seems like Joseph Blandisi could be a healthy scratch on opening night, which is kind of disappointing given how well he played this month. In four games, he had four points, nine scoring chances, and the Devils out-chanced their opponents 25-9 with him on the ice at 5v5. I know he was squaring off against watered-down lineups, but he was playing in one as well. Hopefully, he doesn't have to wait too long for a chance to play, because he did what he was supposed to do.