Devils resume training on Saturday | BLOG

After several days off, the Devils returned to practice at the RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House on Saturday afternoon. New Jersey has an eight-day pregame break, with its next game in Pittsburgh against the Penguins on Feb. 24.

The Devils are hoping the break in game action will give their players time to heal and recuperate, as the team looks to recover several players like Andreas Johnson (lower body) and Jesper Bratt (upper body), who both practiced. Dougie Hamilton (IR, jaw) has trained with the team and is progressing towards his return.

Tweet from @amandacstein: #NJDevils practice kickoff and Andreas Johnsson and Jesper Bratt are back on the ice.

During the last days of rest, New Jersey goalkeeper dismissed Nico Daws and recalled Akira Schmid. Devils head coach Lindy Ruff spoke about how important it is for his young goalies to play as many games as possible for their development.

About 15 minutes into practice, the team started a few games in a small area involving an out pass and two attacking players. These types of drills help promote creativity in a limited space and push players to react quickly like in games.

Check back throughout the afternoon for practice coverage, including written and video content.