Devils Ramp Up Practices Ahead of NHL Schedule Resuming

The Devils are preparing for a tough stretch as they look to make up ground in the standings.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 11:15pm

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The New Jersey Devils are back on the ice in Newark, ramping up their practice sessions ahead of the NHL schedule resuming next Wednesday. The team is slowly getting back into the swing of things after the Olympic break, with a mix of skills work and system-based drills. While the Devils still have several players out due to the Olympics, they are focused on taking it one game at a time and not getting ahead of themselves as they try to climb back into a playoff position.

Why it matters

The Devils face an uphill battle to make the playoffs, but the team is determined to put in the work required. With a refreshed mindset and a focus on the details, the Devils are hoping to capitalize on the remaining games and secure a postseason berth.

The details

Thursday's practice session was a blend of skills work and system-based drills as the Devils continue to ramp up their preparations. While the team is still missing seven players due to the Olympics, they are slowly starting to get back into the rhythm of regular practices. Forward Cody Glass emphasized the importance of taking it one game at a time and not looking too far ahead, as the Devils will need to win a significant number of games to put themselves in a playoff position.

  • The Devils will have three more practices scheduled before the break officially comes to a close with a game against the Buffalo Sabres next Wednesday.
  • The Devils will then face the Pittsburgh Penguins the following night, the first half of a back-to-back.

The players

Cody Glass

A forward for the New Jersey Devils who emphasized the importance of taking it one game at a time and not getting ahead of themselves as the team looks to make up ground in the standings.

Sheldon Keefe

The head coach of the New Jersey Devils, who acknowledged that forward Lenni Hämeenaho has shown he belongs in the NHL but will need to continue to adapt and sustain his success as the 'honeymoon phase' wears off.

Lenni Hämeenaho

A young forward who was recently recalled from the American Hockey League and has fit in seamlessly with the Devils, making his NHL debut on January 19.

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What they’re saying

“It's nice to be back, come in with a mental reset with positive vibes. We're going to have a tough stretch coming but I feel like we're due for the challenge.”

— Cody Glass, Forward

“Just taking it one game at a time. Don't get ahead of ourselves, don't look at how many games we have left, just focus on the next one. I think that's going to be huge for us, because we're going to have to win some games here. But don't look too far into the future, don't get ahead of ourselves.”

— Cody Glass, Forward

“It's on him to handle himself well coming out of this break and get back going. And we've got to keep working with him as a coaching staff to keep adapting to the league as the, sort of, honeymoon phase wears off, there's a long list of guys that come up to the NHL for a short period of time and have success but can't really sustain it.”

— Sheldon Keefe, Head Coach

What’s next

The Devils will face the Buffalo Sabres next Wednesday, the first half of a back-to-back, with a stop in Pittsburgh the next night.

The takeaway

The Devils are determined to put in the hard work required to climb back into a playoff position, but they know it will be an uphill battle. By taking it one game at a time and focusing on the details, the team hopes to capitalize on the remaining games and secure a postseason berth.