Langenbrunner back with Parise and Zajac; Swift, Sestito promoted to first group

Those of you who were worried that Devils coach Jacques Lemaire was going to break up the team's top line of Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Jamie Langenbrunner can relax.

For the first time in training camp, Langenbrunner is skating with his usual linemates today. Brendan Shanahan had skated with Parise and Zajac for two days in practice and in Wednesday night's preseason opener against the Rangers.

[UPDATE: (11:53 a.m.) Andy Greene accidentally drove Zach Parise face first into the corner boards during one high-speed drill, a scary enough moment that someone from the training camp yelled, "Oh (crap)!." Zach got up slowly, but appeared to be OK and continued to practice.]

Other line combinations today: Brian Rolston-Dainius Zubrus-David Clarkson; Brendan Shanahan-Mike Swift-Vladimir Zharkov; Jay Pandolfo-Rod Pelley-Niclas Bergfors; Andrew Peters-Tim Sestito-Ilkka Pikkarainen.

{BACK TOGETHER AGAIN: Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Jamie Langenbrunner talk this morning with Jacques Lemaire.}

It looks like Jacques Lemaire is looking at some other combinations and players with Swift and Sestito joining the group. Rookie center Patrice Cormier and left wing Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, who both played last night, will apparently skate with the second group today, (scheduled to take the ice at 1 p.m.) Rookie goaltender Jeff Frazee, who dressed Wednesday night, but did not play, apparently will also be with the second group. Gerald Coleman is the third goaltender in this group.

It looks like they are rewarding the guys who played well in the AHL exhibition yesterday and also looking at other centers in Swift and Sestito.

The rest of the players on the ice.

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

Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Yann Danis, Gerald Coleman.

They're doing some power play work this morning with Rolston up front (with Zubrus and Clarkson) and not at the point. Urbom and Murphy are getting some point time along with Oduya, Greene and Martin.

Andrew Peters just went down and there were groans from the group after he got hit in the lower body with a shot while standing in front.

They did a little shootout competition at the end of practice. Players had to bet on whether they thought a certain player would score. If he didn't the guys that bet that he would score, had to skate two laps. If you get against a guy and he scored, you had to skate two laps.

During one stretch, Colin White, Bryce Salvador and Jay Leach scored in succession and a lot of guys had to skate laps. White and Leach beat Brodeur.

Urbom added to that by scoring on Coleman later.

Comments

[Morgan]

Good to see Mike Swift get to move up to the NHL group after he had a great game for Lowell against Hartford. He won draws, killed penalties, and had two unassisted goals.

[Number6]

I'm excited to see the Rolston-Zubrus-Clarkson line. I think that would be a killer 3rd line. Rolston has a little chemistry with Clarkson, and Zubs would be interesting between the two of them.

[Johlmri's Ghost]

Rolston-Zubrus-Clarkson = aggressive forecheck and difficult to play against. Hopefully they'll cycle the puck well, too, and be in the goalie's face often.

re: Langs back on the top line - Everson is going to have to really work hard to top the ridiculousness of his "Langs will be traded" article. That's a lot to live up to.

[mikeschoenf]

If Rolston Zubrus Clarkson is our third line what will our second line be like (obv eventuall Patty will be there) but who else would be on his line?

[tegraxe]

TG, Any word about Perkovich??? He looked pretty good yesterday.

[gregdil]

if rolston-zubrus-clarkson clicks i could def see elias fitting nicely between zharkov-shanny or maybe bergfors-shanny...
interesting that urbom and fraser are with the pros instead of corrente and eckford...does it mean that corrente and eckford are underachieving? or does it mean that the coaching staff knows what they have with those two and want to test urbom and fraser?

[Number6]

Well, I guess I'm still holding out hope we get a 2nd line center, so we'd have Elias-Center-Bergfors

[devilfanFLA]

Is practice open to the public?

[tegraxe]

Corrente had a horrible first period two OK periods and took two bad penalties. Eckford was even worse for the whole game, he at least turned the puck over six times. Eckfor also was beaten twice in 30 second one for the tying goal. I have seen them both play in a couple of games, I don't see where these guys are going to make the big club. They both looked very shaky yesterday.

[Neil S]

gregdil, I'd say the coaching staff kinda knows what they have in Eckford and Corrente, and they want to take a look at some bigger unknowns like Fraser and Urbom first. I'm sure Corrente and Eckford will get some playing time next week.

[MoonDragn]

In my opinion I think Lemaire is a better judge of player ability than Sutter ever was. Sutter was more impressed by players with size than ability. I think we will hopefully end up with players that belong in the NHL.

[Number6]

I dunno... Sutter's favorite seemed to be Halischuk, who is far from large. Jacques doesn't seem nearly as impressed by him. Maybe Sutter looked more for energy than ability.

[tegraxe]

I would like to see them get some playing time Wed. Corrente is physical but is small and average speed. Eckford is slow very slow. I think they know what they have in both of them Lowells defenseman.

[MoonDragn]

The point is, Corrente and Eckford have to be better or just as good as Greene to make the team. Greene is much faster than either of them. That should tell you something.

[TG]

Eckford isn't very slow. He used to be a forward.

[TG]

No word on Perkovich yet. I'll check to see later if he skates with the second group.

He's had a very good camp. He's not ready to play in the NHL yet, but, judging from the rookie camp in July, and what I've seen from him here, he's progressing very well as a player. He has a chance to be something if he continues on this track.

[devilfanFLA]

but is practice open to the public?

[tegraxe]

TG, He looked very slow yesterday, he was beaten from the outside twice in one shift. Maybe he isnt in shape, but did you think either one looked good yesterday. I am just curious what you thought of both of them yesterday behind the net and when they were forechecked.

[TG]

I added it above that Zach Parise got pasted into the corner boards by Andy Greene. It was an accident, both players were going at high speed during a drill. Zach got up slowly, but appears to be OK. He's continued to practice.

[gregdil]

so probably no major changes to the defense corp coming out of camp;
martin-oduya, mottau-white, sal-greene; murphy and leach for depth; corrente and eckford back to lowell to work with scotty s...
can urbom play at lowell this year now that he is signed?
or does he have to play at brandon?

[tegraxe]

TG, I know you are busy, but what is your opinion on Gelinas? He looks very raw but it looks like he has some tools.

[TG]

He was beaten from the outside, but that's his backward skating and, facing onrushing forwards, is something he probably didn't have to deal with as much back when he was a forward.

It's part of the adjustment and it's still an open question about whether he can make it and play in the NHL.

Urbom is a very good skater for a big man, but I've seen him fall or lose balance at least a few times (including once today) going backwards. It's such a step up in speed against NHL players from junior, college or the AHL. It's hard for some D to make the adjustment. Urbom's only 18, though, and this is first taste.

[Neil S]

I liked Gelinas yesterday, but you could tell he was straight out of junior at times. Am I the only one that thought Olivier Magnan was really impressive?

[TG]

I like Gelinas. He's big and skates very well. He's another converted forward and is still learning the defensive side of the game, position-wise and decision-making wise. The upside is high if he can make the full adjustment.

He'll go back to junior, which will be good for him.

And, no, practice is not open to the public.

There is another AHL preseason game on Saturday vs. Adirondack/Philly that is open to the public with free admission. It will be at the practice rink, though, not on the arena rink. It starts at 4 p.m.

[Neil S]

Trying to get out of Army Reserve obligations early on Saturday so I can make the game. If you see a soldier in ACU's it means I made it.