First practice session underway

It's the same players and combinations for today's first session as Thursday except rookie goalie Jeff Frazee has joined the group in place of Gerald Coleman.

There is no word on today's cuts yet from the Devils.

Here are the players on the ice for today's first session.

{To right: right wing Ilkka Pikkarainen during this morning's practice.}

Forwards: Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Jamie Langenbrunner; Brian Rolston-Dainius Zubrus-David Clarkson; Brendan Shanahan-Mike Swift-Vladimir Zharkov; Jay Pandolfo-Rod Pelley-Niclas Bergfors;  Andrew Peters-Tim Sestito-Illka Pikkarainen.

Defensemen: (In White) Colin White, Mike Mottau, Paul Martin, Cory Murphy, Jay Leach; (In Black); Bryce Salvador, Mark Fraser; Johnny Oduya, Andy Greene, Alexander Urbom.

Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Yann Danis, Jeff Frazee.

***

Brendan Shanahan came off the ice for a moment, apparently to get a skate fixed. He's sitting on one of the benches with no skate on his left foot.

***

Just a reminder that Lowell Devils will take on Adirondack (Philadelphia's affiliate) in an AHL preseason game at 4 p.m. Saturday on the Prudential Center practice rink. Admission is free.

***

Former Devils goaltender Kevin Weekes told CBC.ca that he signed a one-year deal with Hockey Night in Canada, but is not giving up completely on his playing career.

"I don't look at this as a default move, but a move forward," Weekes said. "I definitely want to do [TV broadcasting] as a second career."

As he told me in July, Weekes said he didn't get any offers that were fitting for his experience.

"The last two years I made $675,000 and $700,000," Weekes said. "That's entry-level given my experience and intangibles."

Comments

[MoonDragn]

Interesting group of players. I wonder if this is the entire list or they are going to keep some of the other rookies up.

Can't wait for the announcement of cuts.

[tegraxe]

TG
Any word of when the cuts will come out?

[TG]

No.

[TG]

I'm told now that cuts might not be announced today. Who knows?

[Pearl Jammed]

TG, you know i don't normally ask about this kind of thing, but has there been any word about Corrente? i know he got nicked up a little during the rookie camp, but i know alot of people had high expectations for him this season and we haven't heard much about him thus far.

[tegraxe]

TG,
How many players do they have to be down to?

[tegraxe]

Corrente wil be the first piece of a trade if the is one. Get something while he still has some value.

[TG]

They don't have to make cuts at this point. It's more to get down to a workable number for practices.

And Corrente didn't have a great AHL game the other day against the Rangers. He has not missed any practices, so I don't know that he is nicked up at all.

[TG]

Just to clarify, there is no number of players that they are required to be down to at this date.

[MoonDragn]

They are not going to trade Corrente. Right now his trade value is low because he has not been really showcased in a preaseason game. I don't think they are giving up on him, he's young still.

If anything Fraser is the more likely trade bait.

[tegraxe]

Correte has had three years to show what he has. He is still young but the Devils have already got defenceman that are the future (projects). If he is not working with the first group where does he fit in? Urbom, Murphy, Leach, are already in front of Corrente.

[devilsfan]

Hopefully Langenbrunner loaded up on the Midol this morning.

Corrente has been overhyped for years now. If he was as good as he's been portrayed he'd wouldn't be where is is today. It's not like we have 6 studs at the NHL level.

[Philly Devil]

If the Devils can trade a Willie Mitchell (bad move) then they can entertain talks for Corrente.

[Dan D]

Tegraxe

Murphy and Leach are also way older than Corrente and both have NHL experience. Urbom looked ok Wed, but he needs work. They won't rush him into the league. He'll probably be going to junior this year. Three years is not that long when it comes to developing hockey players.

[nnjrules]

Anyone see phaneuf smoke Okposo last night. The kid is lucky to have his head still on. He won't last long looking at the puck going through center ice, see lindros brothers.
Pelley better have some jolt cola today or something, he is a 4th line center if that. Perhaps nervs or what ever, I will give him another game to wake up, but I am not thrilled. I predict Pelley will be this years zubrus as far as a whipping boy, he will also get a new name of Rod smelly. Any takers?

[MoonDragn]

Corrente is 21 btw, not 22. He's got plenty of time. Some guys develop faster than others. Leach is not in front of Corrente. He's not even getting a look with the big club this year, notice he's skating with the rookies. Murphy may become trade bait if he can't fit into our lineup. Urbom could regress next year too, you never know.

I think Corrente just need another year to mature, then he should be ready to go. He needs to control his temper on the ice. I really don't think he will be traded at this point.

[Bergfors Fan Club]

TG,

Will you be covering the free AHL game tomorrow afternoon?
We missed you at the prospects game in July.

I'll put house money on Frazee playing in Lowell this season.

[Warren]

Devilsfan is completely correct. Overhyped. I hate to sound like a broken record but...going back to 1996 only 2 first picks of the Devils have seen real NHL time (Parise, Zajac) everything else has been stuff like Adrian Foster (wow that was a keeper!)Bergfors, Corrente, etc. Bergfors and Corrente should have been NHLers by now...sorry not buying this development cr@p.

[tegraxe]

Moon Dragon you might want to check the post above.

[SonicDude]

TG

i am very curious what your thoughts are, as of this moment, on whether lou is looking for a center through trade.

your article in the record yesterday seemed more like you were promoting (i think correctly so) a trade for a center rather than basing your view on any lou body language.

of course my next question is...if lou's not looking for a center through trade, then who in the NJD group of young centers is he thinking can center elias and rolston this season?

[Tull]

wish i could see the Lowell game tmrw... nephews bdays, family parties, yadda yadda.

not sure why Weekes thinks his value will go up after taking a year off to talk on TV? he'd mentioned he'd go to Europe to get what he thought he was worth but apparently they weren't even offering... maybe it's time to re-adjust your thinking?

[tegraxe]

I agree it s way to early to talk about Urbom or Gelinas. Corrente plays a physical game. Great... Any other intangibles there? Not a great shot, not a stick handler, not big, and takes bad penalties. Right now an average AHL defenseman woking his way up to pretty good AHL defenseman. Character has also been in question in juniors, we all deserve a second chace and hopefully that was one bad mistake. Like Lemaire said you have a couple of days to make an impression, it appears that he has not made a good one.

[95-00-03]

I like the first 2 line combinations of ZZPops and Clarkson, Zubrus and Rolston. Not too many teams have a better first and second line in my opinion.

I have a feeling Zharkov is going to be the real deal in the not too distant future as well.

I am just really glad that they didn't lose the first game or the negativity on this board would make the economy look terrific.

I am sure once Elias is healthy and Lou and Lemaire see where our weaknesses are they will do the right thing. In the meantime I am just lookin forward to the official start of this season.

GO DEVILS!

[Warren]

@95-00-03...if no changes are made with this team and you want to see negativitiy...check back on this blog...oh say about Dec. 15th. By then the Pittsburgh and the Flyers will have run off with the division...the Islanders will be vastly improved...Lou will be telling everyone it's still early...and the Rangers will be saying Gaborik should be ready to play by the start of the new year!

[sid]

the devils had scott gomez in the first round in 98 didnt they?