The Devils have been holding their developmental camp this past week, but two big names are not skating or participating in on-ice drills.
According to Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com on the Devils’ website, Joseph Blandisi and Pavel Zacha have been sitting this one out due to injuries and a weird extra situation for Blandisi.
Zacha, according to Morreale, suffered a hip pointer “late last season” (most likely during the AHL playoffs with Albany) and has not skated in any drills at Barnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center.
Blandisi’s situation is a little bit different. According to Morreale, he has a swollen ankle. But, says Blandisi, “I feel good, nothing hurts.” “I just need some new skates” he clarified. “My feet just don’t fit into the skates right now. I need to get new skates, but the factory that makes the skates is closed this week.”
He told Morreale that his “feet became swollen over the course of last year, just some buildup in there, after a long season.”
Devils head coach John Hynes told Morreale that “Zacha won’t skate, but it’s just precautionary.” He also said that “(T)here’s no need to push it. (Zacha) is here, he’s working out and doing his thing with the team. That’s a huge part of the camp. Ice is important but not the primary importance of the camp.”
Morreale said that both will be ready to go once training camp opens. As Blandisi put it: “I should be 100 percent for training camp… so long as the skates are ready.”
Devils preseason training camp opens in September.