New Jersey Devils caoch says top line is ‘still in dating stage’
By Cory Buck
The New Jersey Devils are still tinkering with their lineup, as is customary in the latter half of the NHL preseason. Now is the time for coaches to install lineups as they might be seen in the regular season with the hopes of finding good chemistry between teammates. Coach Peter DeBoer will need just that as he has a few new faces atop his depth chart.
More from New Jersey Devils
- NHL Rumors: Latest on Hart, Hellebuyck, Gibson trade possibilities
- NHL Draft winners and losers 2023: Blackhawks hit jackpot, Maple Leafs flop
- NHL Mock Draft: Connor Bedard No. 1, but who’s next?
- NHL trade grades: Devils acquire Tyler Toffoli from Flames, deal Yegor Sharangovich
- NHL Rumors: Grading Hayes and Blackwood trades, Karlsson suitors, PLD stays in LA
Free agent acquisition Mike Cammalleri is hoping to join Travis Zajac and Jaromir Jagr to make a formidable top line in New Jersey, but DeBoer wants to see a little more from the trio before anointing them.
Per Tom Gulitti at Fire and Ice:
"“In a perfect world, we have all our line combinations set from training camp the way I envision them. They’ll all work and we won’t make any changes, but that’s not how it happens. So, we’ll see. And chemistry takes some time sometimes. It’s not instant. Especially good players and good offensive players, they need to get to know each other – where they like the puck, the areas of the ice they like to get to, those kind of things."
To sum that up for those less interested in chemistry, DeBoer put it simply: “They’re in the dating stage right now.”
The trio is hoping to have a happy union secured when New Jersey’s regular season begins on October 9th.
More from Fansided.com
NHL Eastern Conference riddled with injuries
NHL Power Rankings: Every franchise statistically ranked all-time
NHL: 10 stadiums that should host an outdoor game
Sidney Crosby named NHL MVP favorite by oddsmaker