Devils 6, Islanders 2: A great first rehearsal

The Devils dressed most of their opening day lineup on Tuesday night and it couldn't have gone much better.

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The New Jersey Devils dressed a much better lineup than the New York Islanders on Tuesday night and it showed.

Here are a few observations from their 6-2 victory:

Simon Nemec passed first test ✅

Sheldon Keefe gave Nemec a full plate in his preseason debut, throwing him out there for a team-high 22:31.

It wasn’t a flawless performance – there were a couple instances where Nemec and Brenden Dillon were caught running around in the defensive zone – but I thought there was much more good than bad.

The most apparent difference I noticed in Nemec came with the puck on his stick. He looked more confident, composed, and decisive. He made quick decisions with the puck, and good ones at that.

Nemec’s breakouts were crisp. He’d survey the ice, see the outlet, and whip the puck in that direction with accuracy. He didn’t hesitate, taking so long to make a play that the window would close. He hit the pass and moved on, looking for the next way to get involved.

He was also much more active and engaged in the offensive zone. He wasn’t stationary at all. He jumped into the play, at times dropping down near the goalline to find soft spots in the defense. He also rotated at the point to cross up defenders, allowing him to create space and make himself available in shooting position.

Now, the competition was not good. It wasn’t. There is also some cleanup to do in the defensive zone, although I thought Dillon was a little more responsible for the tougher shifts than Nemec. But it was a good first step.

Playing a ton of minutes, making plays with the puck, and picking up a power play point should give him confidence moving forward and a good base to build on.

The 3rd line tipped the scales ⚖️