3. First Possible Line Combinations
Do not freak out about the line combinations on Day 1. It is not worth it to make any assumption as to who is with who, but it is at least an interesting anecdote to bring discussion. Sheldon Keefe has been thinking about this since he was hired. He’s probably spent days putting his ideal line combinations together and who might work with who. He wants to see where he can find hidden chemistry right off the bat.
Two specific combinations will be interesting to see. Who goes with Dougie Hamilton after his major injury, and who is on Jack Hughes’ line? For the first one, Hamilton had played with Jonas Siegenthaler, but he’s coming off a very down year. He has played with Brett Pesce in the past with the Hurricanes, but that requires him to play on his off hand. Could he play with someone like Brenden Dillon? That makes the most sense to start.
As for Jack Hughes, it’s anyone’s guess. It might not even matter since the Devils don’t have Dawson Mercer signed. He could walk into training camp as soon as the ink is dry and end up next to Hughes. He could also cost himself a chance to play on the Devils' top line if he doesn’t show up with enough time for practice.
We also get to see if Nico Hischier will once again pair with Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier to start the season. They line did work last year and could do damage this one. But again, these lines don't mean much more than conversation fodder.