Three experiments the New Jersey Devils should test during preseason play

I highlighted some combinations Sheldon Keefe should try during a seven-game exhibition schedule.

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Training camps open league-wide on Monday and preseason play will follow less than a week later.

The New Jersey Devils are scheduled to play seven exhibition games this year, giving them ample opportunity to experiment with different line combinations and pairings.

Let’s take a look at three Sheldon Keefe should prioritize testing out.

Arseniy Gritsyuk with Jack Hughes

Gritsyuk is the biggest unknown on the Devils roster this season. There is such a wide range of outcomes for what he will provide to the team.

If you told me he’ll make an impact offensively from the word go and reliably produce at 5v5, while skating in the top-6 for stretches, I would believe you.

If you told me he struggles off puck, his on-ice impacts are poor, and he moves all around the lineup – and at times out of it entirely – while putting up ~10 goals, I would believe you. He is a true wild card.

Preseason is all about finding out what you have with no risk involved. Thus, it makes sense to try out different things and shoot for the moon.

I can’t think of many unkown combinations that carry more upside than Gritsyuk with Hughes.

Maybe Gritsyuk is out of his depths and it’s a complete flop. Maybe the results are mixed and it’s just not something Sheldon Keefe wants to go with regularly. Maybe it’s a match made in heaven. It’s impossible to know without trying.

At the very least, it’d be good to find out if there is any sort of offensive chemistry. They could become an option for Keefe while trailing in games late and pushing for a goal.

Evgenii Dadonov with Jack Hughes