Devils vs. Maple Leafs: Projected Lines; Notes; How to Watch, & More

The New Jersey Devils (2-0-0) kicked off their regular season in Prague, but Thursday night is their home opener. They will host head coach Sheldon Keefe’s former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs (0-1-0).

READ: 10 New Jersey Devils Bold Predictions for the 2024-25 Season

The Maple Leafs are playing in the second leg of a back-to-back to start their season. Last night, Toronto was blanked by the Montreal Canadiens as Samuel Montembault posted a 47-save shutout, propelling the Habs to their first victory of the season.

Despite the belief that it will be an emotional tilt for the Devils’ head coach who is quickly facing the team who fired him just five months ago, Sheldon Keefe is keeping focus and setting the emotion of it all aside.

“I like to believe that I’m focused and content enough with where I’m at that I’m not too concerned about anything else outside of the task of competing against one of the league’s top teams,” Keefe explained to the New Jersey media.

According to the Devils’ PR, “New head coach Sheldon Keefe improved to 4-0-0 in NHL games played outside of North America and became the first NHL head coach to win his first four career games outside of North America.

Keefe can become the fourth head coach in franchise history to start a season 3-0-0 during his first year with the team:

Jacques Lemarie (4-0-0): 1993-94
Pat Burns (3-0-0): 2002-03
Bob MacMillan (3-0-0): 1980-81

Keefe led Toronto to 46, or more, wins in his last three seasons with the Leafs. He led Toronto to 50 wins in 2022-23 and then 54 victories in 2021-22. His career points% in parts of five NHL seasons (all w/ TOR) are .665.”

Here’s the lineup he’s projected to deploy Thursday night:

Projected Devils Lineup*

Forwards

Timo Meier – Jack Hughes – Jesper Bratt

Tomas Tatar – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer

Ondrej Palat – Erik Haula – Stefan Noesen

Paul Cotter – Curtis Lazar – Nathan Bastian

Defensemen

Brenden Dillon – Dougie Hamilton

Jonas Siegenthaler – Johnathan Kovacevic

Seamus Casey – Simon Nemec

Goaltenders

Jacob Markstrom

Jake Allen

*Lineup subject to change

How to Watch the Devils Game — 7 P.M. EST

Watch: MSG Networks

Radio: DEVILS HOCKEY NET

Next Up

Saturday, Oct. 12 At Washington 7:00 P.M.
Monday. Oct. 14 Vs Utah 1:00 P.M. E.T.
Tuesday, Oct. 15 At Carolina 7:00 P.M.
Thursday, Oct. 17 At Ottawa 7:00 P.M.

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