Poulter made 24 saves in a 5-4 loss to Flyers on Thursday.
Poulter went undrafted out of junior, but never gave up his dream of a pro career. He inked a two-way deal with Utica (AHL) in June 2022 and went 17-11-5 with a 3.28 GAA and .897 save percentage. That earned him an AHL deal for 2023-24, and he delivered. Poulter went 14-5-1-3 with a 2.54 GAA and .913 save percentage before heading down to the ECHL where he dominated. He posted a 5-0-0 record at the end of the season and then carried his ECHL team all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. Poulter delivered four shutouts in that postseason run tying him for second most in a single playoff in ECHL history. He's a long way from the NHL, but Poulter has a chance to be a part of the Devils long-term plan in net. He'll be in the minors this year.
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Devils' Kevin Labanc: Preseason hattie on PTO
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Labanc recorded a hat trick in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Flyers.
Labanc is in the Flyers camp on a PTO, and he's leading a lineup of mostly non-NHL players because most of the Devils team is in Europe for the NHL Global Series. And he's showing the way. Labanc had a three-point game Tuesday, too, and now has five goals, including power-play markers, and one assist in his last two games. He's playing for a spot in the team's bottom six and has done enough to show he can provide the squad and new coach Sheldon Keefe with depth scoring.
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Devils' Isaac Poulter: Slated to face Flyers
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Poulter is set to start in Thursday's preseason road game against Philadelphia.
Poulter had a 2.55 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 28 contests with AHL Utica in 2023-24. The Devils currently have two squads: their main group is preparing to begin the NHL season Friday in Prague while this group, including Poulter and many other AHL regulars, will play in Philadelphia on Thursday. In other words, after guarding the net against the Flyers in the preseason finale, Poulter is expected to open the campaign with Utica.
Hughes (shoulder) hasn't resumed skating and is still 5-7 weeks away from playing, according to Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Hughes sustained a shoulder injury Sept. 12 and was originally given a timetable of 6-8 weeks, so it seems he's now on track to miss more time than was originally projected. The 21-year-old had nine goals and 47 points in 82 appearances with New Jersey in 2023-24, including 25 points with the man advantage. Dougie Hamilton, who didn't play past Nov. 28 last year due to a pectoral injury, is set to open the campaign on New Jersey's top power-play unit, while Seamus Casey might get a chance with the second group due to Hughes' absence.
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Devils' Jakub Zboril: Two points in Tuesday's tuneup
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Zboril scored an even-strength goal and added a power-play assist in Tuesday's 5-4 preseason loss to the Rangers.
The 27-year-old defenseman didn't pan out with the Bruins after being the 13th overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, and Zboril is looking for a fresh start with the Devils on a PTO. With Luke Hughes (shoulder) set to miss the start of the season and Brett Pesce (lower leg) also banged up, there could be a spot for Zboril on the blue line, but the fact that he didn't accompany the team's regulars to Prague for a pair of Global Series games against the Sabres this weekend doesn't bode well for his chances.
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Devils' Kevin Labanc: Leads charge in preseason loss
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Labanc scored two goals, one on the power play, and added an assist in Tuesday's 5-4 preseason loss to the Rangers.
With the Devils' regulars in Prague getting ready for the start of the regular season with a pair of Global Series games against the Sabres this weekend, Labanc skated on the top line and made an impact while leading the team in shots with seven. The veteran winger is in camp on a PTO competing for a depth forward spot, and should he see time with New Jersey this season, Labanc does have a modest track record of supplying offense in the NHL, including a 56-point campaign with the Sharks in 2018-19.
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Devils' Isaac Poulter: Making preseason start
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Poulter will start on the road versus the Rangers in Tuesday's preseason game, Colin Stephenson of Newsday reports.
Poulter signed his entry-level deal in February. The 23-year-old went 17-8-1 with a 2.55 GAA and a .911 save percentage at AHL Utica last year, and he also featured regularly during ECHL Adriondack's playoff run. Poulter will spend most of 2024-25 in the minors.
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Devils' Topias Vilen: Suffers injury Monday
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Vilen (upper body) will be out for about 3-4 weeks, Catherine Bogart of the Devils' official site reported Tuesday.
Vilen was injured in Monday's 3-1 preseason win over the Rangers. The 21-year-old rearguard may begin the 2024-25 campaign on season-opening injured reserve before returning to AHL Utica once he's healthy. Vilen registered two goals and 29 points in 54 games for New Jersey's top minor-league affiliate during the 2023-24 regular season.
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Devils' Michael Hutchinson: Released from tryout
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Hutchinson was released from his professional tryout Tuesday.
Hutchinson has played for six different clubs over the course of his 11-year NHL career. The 34-year-old was a third-round selection by the Bruins in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Ontario native sports a career record of 57-62-18 with a 2.94 GAA and a .902 save percentage in 154 regular-season appearances.
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Devils' Brett Pesce: Not with team in Prague
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Pesce (lower leg) didn't travel with the Devils to Czechia on Sunday, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports, indicating he will miss the start of the 2024-25 season.
The Devils and Sabres will open the 2024-25 campaign with games Friday and Saturday in Prague as part of the NHL Global Series. Seamus Casey might get to make his NHL debut as a result of Pesce's absence. The 29-year-old Pesce has been listed as week-to-week since the beginning of training camp after suffering a fractured fibula in Game 2 of Carolina's first-round playoff series versus the Islanders in April. He skated as an extra in practice in New Jersey on Monday, per Catherine Bogart of the Devils' official site. Pesce will get more time to recover, but it's unclear if he will be ready to play in the team's home opener against Toronto on Oct. 10.
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Devils' Santeri Hatakka: Dealing with injury
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Hatakka is dealing with an injury that is considered more significant than day-to-day, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports Friday.
Hatakka was already likely to struggle to make the Devils' Opening Night roster, and this injury will only make it harder for him. The 23-year-old defenseman has earned four assists over 21 career NHL games in parts of two seasons. If his injury lingers into the regular season, he could begin the year on season-opening injured reserve.
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Devils' Jake Allen: Facing Islanders
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Allen is expected to start on the road against the Islanders in Friday's preseason clash, Mike Morreale of NHL.com reports.
Allen logged 28:03 of ice time in Tuesday's 3-0 exhibition loss to the Canadiens, allowing a goal on 13 shots in that span. He had a record of 12-18-4 with a 3.44 GAA and an .895 save percentage across 34 contests between Montreal and New Jersey in 2023-24.
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Devils' Erik Haula: Good to play Friday
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Haula (illness) will play Friday versus the Islanders, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Haula didn't start skating at training camp until Wednesday because of an illness. Following his recovery, he will be in the mix for a middle-six spot in the lineup. He had 16 goals, 35 points, 54 PIM and 94 hits across 76 outings with New Jersey in 2023-24.
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Devils' Brett Pesce: Resumes skating
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Pesce (lower leg) skated with the Devils on Friday, according to Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site, but he remains week-to-week, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Pesce's availability for the Devils' season opener in Prague on Oct. 4 is uncertain. At the least, the 29-year-old has taken an encouraging step forward by getting on the ice. He had three goals, 13 points and 113 blocks in 70 regular-season games with Carolina in 2023-24.
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Devils' Jacob Markstrom: Starting Wednesday
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Markstrom is expected to start at home in Wednesday's preseason game versus Washington, per Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site.
Markstrom stopped 17 of 19 shots in a 4-2 exhibition loss to the Islanders on Sunday. He logged 40 minutes in that game before Nico Daws came out for the third. Goaltender Jake Allen will be on the Devils' roster for the upcoming contest against the Capitals, but it's not known if the plan is to have Markstrom play the full game or eventually be substituted for Allen
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Devils' Erik Haula: Skating, won't play Wednesday
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Haula (illness) skated Wednesday, but he won't play in the evening's preseason game against Washington, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports.
It's the first time Haula has been on the ice with his teammates since training camp began. Although Haula needs some time to get back to full strength, he might still be an option for Friday's exhibition contest versus the Islanders. The 33-year-old had 16 goals and 35 points in 76 regular-season outings in 2023-24.
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Devils' Jake Allen: Slated to play
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Allen is expected to guard the road goal in Tuesday's exhibition contest against Montreal, according to Catherine Bogart of the Devils' official site.
Allen accumulated a 12-18-4 record with a 3.44 GAA and an .895 save percentage over 34 regular-season outings between Montreal and New Jersey in 2023-24. The 34-year-old netminder is expected to be Jacob Markstrom's backup in the 2024-25 campaign.
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Devils' Erik Haula: Remains unavailable
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Haula (illness) won't play in Tuesday's exhibition contest versus Montreal after skipping the morning skate, Mike Morreale of NHL.com reports.
Haula hasn't skated yet during training camp, but he was at the arena Sunday for a short workout, according to Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site. The 33-year-old Haula will be brought along slowly to rebuild his strength from an illness. He notched 16 goals and 19 assists across 76 regular-season outings in 2023-24. Haula will probably occupy a middle-six role and could see power-play time during the upcoming campaign.
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Devils' Jacob Markstrom: In net Sunday
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Markstrom will guard the home crease in Sunday's preseason matchup versus the Islanders, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports.
Markstrom will make his first appearance with New Jersey after being acquired in a trade from Calgary in June. The 34-year-old was 23-23-2 with a .905 save percentage and a 2.78 GAA in 48 regular-season appearances with the Flames in 2023-24.
