The Devils did not qualify for the postseason and have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs once in the past eight seasons. They’re hoping the addition of veteran goalie Corey Crawford, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, can change that.

“I think with the young players, they want to know that they’re going to be counted on in key situations, that they’re going to be an important part of the team,” Ruff said. “As a coach, it’s going to be my job to help develop that and put them in that position to help succeed and at the same time be very demanding of how we need to play as a team to be successful.”

“It wasn’t quite ‘pick one of these three that we’re showing you today,’ but it was closer to that in our typical process with the NHL,” said Near. “I would be stretching the truth if I said we had everyone in unanimously from day one. It doesn’t really work that way.”

We Finally Know When The Montreal Canadiens Are Getting Back On The Ice

That foundation includes centers Nico Hischier, selected No. 1 in the 2017 NHL Draft, and Jack Hughes, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.Tennessee Titans for NHL Face Masks