Game 1 Preview and Open Thread: Sabers vs. Devils

Game #1

New Jersey Devils (0-0-0) vs. Buffalo saber (0-0-0)

Puck drop: 1:00 PM EST | O2 Arena | Prague, Czech Republic

TV: MSG-B, NHL Network (national)

Know your opponent

New Jersey Devils

Record: 0-0-0 | 0 PTS

Last game: N/A

Division ranking: N/A

PP: N/A

PK: N/A

1. Let the season begin

Finally… the NHL season is here! The Sabers and Devils open the regular season with two games in Prague before the rest of the league announces its lineup on Tuesday. You know what that means, right? If the Sabers win the series in the Czech Republic, they will be four points clear of first place in the NHL. Hey, it’s something.

Realistically, there is a lot to look forward to this season. JJ Peterka appears poised for a breakout season. It should be another good year for Tage Thompson. Dylan Cozens seems thrilled. And hey, even the third and fourth lines look funny on paper. The fight between Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi for the starting position will be exciting. And of course it will be special to watch Rasmus Dahlin flourish as captain all loves to see.

2. Hello Lindy…

The new Lindy Ruff era is upon us and I think we will see a very different Sabers team than last season – not only because of the player changes on the ice, but also the overall mentality, effort and focus . If you haven’t seen the episodes of The Blue & Gold Standard that the team is putting out, it’s an appointment viewing. They provide an entertaining look at Lindy’s return to Buffalo, his life off the ice, his mentality on the ice and what he expects from the team.

3. The devil is approaching

The New Jersey Devils certainly have a ton of offensive threats. Jesper Bratt was their leading scorer last year with 27 goals and 56 assists for 83 points in 82 games. Jack Hughes only played in 62 games last season but still put up 74 points. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier also had 50+ point seasons.

Also of note, defenseman Seamus Casey is expected to make his NHL debut on the blueline. The 20-year-old was drafted 46th overall by the Devils in 2022 and played the last two years at the University of Michigan. On the back end, he scored 45 points (7-38) in his final collegiate season and added six assists in as many World Juniors games for Team USA.

We all know Tage Thompson is one of a kind, but you can celebrate the start of the Sabers season and the NHL Global Series by pre-ordering these special edition Mini Bighead Bobbleheads from our friends at FOCO! Only 72 bobbleheads will be made – pre-order yours today!

Note: This is an affiliate link. The By The Blade receives a commission for each sale and also receives a free bobblehead for this promotion.

Buffalo saber

Forward

JJ Peterka – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Dylan Cozens – Jack Quinn
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jordan Greenway
Beck Malenstyn – Sam Lafferty – Nicolas Aube-Kubel

defense

Rasmus Dahlin – Henri Jokiharju
Bowen Byram-Owen Power
Mattias Samuelsson – Connor Clifton

Goalkeeper: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (expected starter), Devon Levi

New Jersey Devils

Forward

Timo Meier – Jack Hughes – Jesper Bratt
Tomas Tatar – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat – Erik Haula – Stefan Noesen
Paul Cotter-Curtis Lazar-Nathan Bastian

defense

Brenden Dillon – Dougie Hamilton
Jonas Siegenthaler – Johnathan Kovacevic
Seamus Casey – Simon Nemec

Goalkeeper: Jacob Markstrom (planned starter), Jake Allen