Devils News
Devils Head Coach Provides Updates on Absent Erik Haula, Brett Pesce
Sheldon Keefe provides an update on an ill Erik Haula, injured Brett Pesce.
NEWARK — Three practices and one game later, the New Jersey Devils still haven’t seen or heard from Erik Haula or Brett Pesce.
The Devils explained at the beginning of training camp both of their situations. Haula has been battling an illness and Brett Pesce is still recovering from offseason surgery.
For one player, the update is more positive. As for the other, it’s not as simple as it seemed before.
Starting with Haula, it was explained to Devils media that the veteran center “should” return for the second day of training camp. Instead, Haula missed all three days and a preseason game.
In fact, it doesn’t even sound like Haula has been skating. Whatever illness the Devils center has been dealing with, it hit him hard.
“Haula was in the building today and [got] a little bit of a workout in for the first time,” Keefe said. “But, it’s going to be a process to build him back up because he was beaten up pretty good.”
It’s assumed that Haula is going to skate in between Ondrej Palat and Stefan Noesen on the Devils’ third line. For now, it’s been Shane Bowers who has centered the veteran forwards. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if Bowers will make the trip to Prague while Haula remains in New Jersey.
As for Pesce, the news was a bit more encouraging.
The Devils signed Pesce this summer knowing he was going to need surgery to clean up a broken femur he suffered in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
What wasn’t anticipated perhaps was his timeline for recovery, which is still ongoing.
Regardless, Keefe explained that Pesce is making progress, as he was on his skates Sunday morning.
“[Pesce’s making] progress, for sure,” Keefe started. “He skated again today, and looks like he’s feeling good and making progress, but not quite ready.”
The Devils have been rolling with a defense core that consists of Dougie Hamilton, Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler, Santeri Hatakka, Johnathan Kovacevic, Simon Nemec and Nick DeSimone in the absence of Pesce and Luke Hughes. The Devils hope to have Pesce with them on the plane when they leave for Prague on Sept. 29th.
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