Devils Practice Prior to Facing the Bruins | NOTEBOOK

The Devils practiced Monday before hosting the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Check out the notebook for the latest info, updates, interviews, videos and more from the practice session!

Same Lines, Same Mindset

The Devils kept their lineup identical to Saturday's win over the Rangers, a reflection of the confidence built during their current three-game winning streak:

Noesen - Hischier - Bratt
Haula - Mercer - Meier
Palat - Dowling - Tatar
Cotter - Glass - Sprong

Hughes - Pesce
Dumoulin - Kovacevic
Dillon - Casey
Cholowski - Nemec

Markstrom/Allen

Head coach Sheldon Keefe said it’s a rare luxury to get both rest and high-quality practice time this late in the season.

“You usually have to choose one or the other in the NHL,” he said. “To have two sheets of ice today allowed us to get more reps in, work on the details, and manage the workload for guys who need it.” With the playoff race tightening, every small edge counts.

Meier Finding His Groove

Timo Meier has elevated his play during the Devils’ recent winning streak, especially after stepping up in Jack Hughes’ absence. The Swiss winger credits the team’s mindset and commitment to execution.

“The mindset going into those games has brought us success,” he said. “We’re on the same page with a lot of things. Keep it simple, pucks to the net. It’s all about execution—executing the plays that we’re running.”

Meier noted that the opportunity to have multiple practices recently has been a welcome change.

“It’s rare that you get these opportunities late in the year,” he said. “We’ve had busy stretches with barely any practices, so we’re taking this time to work on stuff—certain situations to improve our game.”

The work is paying off, and Meier says that confidence stems from preparation.

“Feeling good about ourselves comes through hard work and the way you compete during games,” he said. “Using time in practice to make sure we have everything in our hands builds confidence.”

Keefe praised Meier’s growth, saying extra touches on the first power play unit have helped build his confidence.

“You start to get more points and feel better about your game,” he said.

Dillon: ‘Our Playoffs Started Weeks Ago’

Veteran defenseman Brenden Dillon didn’t mince words when asked about the playoff race. The Devils' magic number is now three points, meaning a Rangers loss tonight coupled with a Devils win tomorrow would get them into the dance.

“We’ve started our playoffs two, three weeks ago,” he said. “We’re not fully clinched yet. We just want to feel good about our game going into the playoffs.”

Dillon pointed out that the team hasn’t changed its tactics during the win streak, but rather doubled down on its identity.

“There’s not anything specific we’ve done differently,” he said. “We understood how big that game was Saturday from the drop of the puck. We were committed to the game plan and style we wanted to play.”

That renewed sense of urgency and focus has helped the Devils bank critical points.

“These are important points,” Dillon said. “It’s an important time of year to be gaining confidence as we go down the stretch.” His message echoed the team’s approach: no panic, just belief in their structure and work ethic.

Man Advantage (and Disadvantage) in the Spotlight

Special teams have been a major factor in the Devils’ recent stretch of success. Their power play ranks among the best in franchise history, and head coach Sheldon Keefe credits assistant coach Jeremy Colliton for guiding the unit.

“He’s very prepared,” Keefe said. “He does the work to know what’s coming and gives the players the information they need. He’s also on top of small details in side meetings. That’s important.”

Keefe added that the team has done a good job of making their opportunites count as well, which has been a factor.

“Jeremy Colliton says, you don’t know how many you’re going to get so let’s make every rep count. The other day, it’s such a close game and then you get a power play opportunity and in less than five seconds, you break the game open.”

The Devils also spent a significant portion of Monday’s practice focusing on five-on-six and six-on-five situations, something Keefe said had slipped under the radar during a busy schedule.

“Those are some of the finer details that have slipped through the cracks,” he noted. “It’s not just the late-game stuff—it’s things like a delayed penalty call. You need those reps.”

Keefe also pointed to Meier’s improvement as an example of how power play time can transform a player’s confidence.

“When you’re on that first unit, it’s the extra touches,” he said. “You’re always conscious on the defensive side, but if you’re getting looks and thinking offense, you start to feel better about your game.”

The Captain Sets the Tone

Nico Hischier’s impact on the Devils goes well beyond the stat sheet. Whether it’s his defensive zone starts, quiet leadership, or ability to connect with every teammate in the locker room, Hischier’s presence has been essential.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe praised the captain’s consistency and reliability.

“I don’t know if I’ve given him an easy shift on the season,” Keefe said. “He gets the hardest assignments. As a coach, how reliable and consistent he is—that’s really what you want in a player and certainly in your captain.”

Brenden Dillon admitted he didn’t know much about Hischier before joining the Devils, but now sees exactly why he wears the ‘C.’

“He has relationships with everyone on the team: young guys, family guys, single guys,” Dillon said. “You want him on the ice for a D-zone draw, offense, all situations. He’s a complete player.”

Dillon added: “Nico’s more a quiet leader that goes out, does his thing, leads by example. Those are the best kinds of communication. When he does speak, everyone is listening. He’s my Selke winner.”

Timo Meier agreed, saying recognition has never been the goal for Hischier.

“He wants to be as good as possible for the team. Every guy that’s worked with him feels that. He’ll get that recognition, but for us, he’s just an important player. We’re glad he’s on our side.”

Hamilton, Siegenthaler Minor Injury Updates

Dougie Hamilton continues skating but hasn’t rejoined the team. Jonas Siegenthaler is now walking more comfortably but remains off skates. Keefe said the focus continues to be internal: “We want to secure our playoff positioning first and foremost and make sure our game is in a really good place.”

WWE Night

The Devils are hosting WWE Theme Night on Tuesday, April 8 against Boston (purchase tickets here). And in honor of that, and with SummerSlam taking place in August at MetLife Stadium, we looked back at some other signature WWE events held in the Garden State.

WrestleMania 29 (East Rutherford, April 7, 2013)

In a main event for the ages, John Cena defeated the Rock to win his record 11^th WWE Championship and avenging a WrestleMania loss to the Rock the previous year. The Undertaken continued his undefeated streak by beating CM Punk, and Triple H defeated Brock Lesnar in a No Holds Barred match. All in front of 80,676 fans.

Read them all here.