New Jersey Devils Preseason Shows Signs of Progress And Promise

Douglas E. Hamilton

A lifetime ago, I interviewed the newest Devils Dman when he was entering his second NHL season. He was in a Boston Bruins locker room with players like Zdeno Chara and Jarome Iginla, and the team had just lost in the Cup Final to Chicago. Hamilton didn’t see the ice in that series, but the experience was invaluable.

“I was lucky, I got to learn from guys like that from a young age. Seeing Chara and how hard he worked every day, how good he was; and Boston just had so many leaders,” Hamilton told Pucks and Pitchforks. “Every team that I’ve been on had really good leaders that I learned from and it feels weird for me now that I’m the older guy – I still feel young and look up to those guys. But I wanna reciprocate what those guys did for me to our younger players and I think I can do a good job at that.”

One of those players he has taken under his wings, so to speak, has been Mercer. If the kid is as smart off the ice and he is on it, he’d be wise to attach himself to Hamilton’s hip, pick his brain, and be a sponge. Not only with Hamilton.

“Right from day one, I saw a lot of potential in him. He’s one of those guys where you can see he is going to be a good player,” said Hamilton of Mercer. “I like when guys care, care about hockey, and want to be good. For me, I gravitate towards that and want to help him. I had guys that helped me so I’m just trying to help, make him feel good, and be there for him if he has any questions. He’ll be my teammate for a long time.”

We asked Hamilton about being the next in a long line of great Devils defensemen because he sees it every day he comes to work now. 3. 4. 27. Their numbers and faces are everywhere in the building. He pulled no punches and was honest, and he has no dreams of seeing his number retired here one day. He dreams of winning his first Stanley Cup and helping the Devils capture their fourth.

“I grew up liking Scott Niedermayer a lot, always watched him when I could. Hopefully, I can get his autograph one day! There have been a lot of good players here, you walk around the rink and see their pictures all over. It’s inspiring to get back to where they were,” replied Hamilton. “I don’t really care (about possibly having my number retired), the goal is to win a Stanley Cup. That’s what we’re trying to do, I don’t really care for that other stuff; never dreamt of it. I just wanna raise the Cup.”

For players who will be camping out in front of the crease like Tyce Thompson, Hamilton makes the game easier as explained following the Devils 7-1 preseason rout of the New York Rangers.

“It’s awesome (having him here),” said Thompson. “Obviously he’s a world-class defenseman who makes great plays every time he’s out there, Being out there on the ice with him makes things pretty easy – just go to the net, get open, and he’ll find you.”

Promise and Progress

Things are in a lot better place than they were a year ago at this time for the Devils. This team now has GM Tom Fitzgerald’s fingerprints all over it. Will he still tinker and make some tweaks? Of course, 100%. But all of the links to the old days are now truly gone. This is Jack and Nico’s team. It’s Dougie and Ty, and Mercer and Holtz – and the course of the next five years will be determined by how well they perform.

That my friends is progress, and promise. At least until the next game, as we live in an instant reaction generation now. But it should be a fun season that will set the table for the next 5-7 years. The Metro Division penthouse shouldn’t be occupied by Ovi, Sid, and Giroux much longer. Hopefully.